Amanda Beard Poses Nude For Playboy

Los Angeles, CA - Former Olympic gold medalist Amanda Beard is on the cover of the July issue of Playboy magazine and is nude in eight pictures.

Beard, who is the Olympic champion and former world-record holder in the 200-meter breaststroke, defended her decision to pose nude, despite ongoing criticism that she is setting a wrong example for female athletes.

"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I really felt excited and motivated to do it," she told told AP on Thursday. 'I'm kind of used to people not necessarily agreeing with everything that I do and that's totally fine. This doesn't change my personality or who I am. It's just a business decision, a career decision."

The cover of Playboy bills Beard as "the world's sexiest athlete nude."