Sochi Olympics 2014: Chirine Njeim - The Other Topless Lebanese Skier (VIDEOS)
Jackie Chamoun is receiving all the flak for her topless photo that people did not notice there were two of them in the controversial photo shoot that divided Lebanon.
Who is the other beautiful female skier? A YouTube video title provided IBT Australia the lead and identity of the other mysterious topless skier.
YouTube/So Acidentes
She is Chirine Njeim, also an alpine skier and had represented Lebanon in three winter games in 2002, 2006 and 2010 and even served as the country's flag bearer in Salt Lake City and Vancouver.
Now 29, Chirine is not a part of the Lebanese team in Sochi. From her home in Chicago, she has expressed disappointment for being set aside by the Lebanese Ski Federation.
Chamoun and Njeim were teammates in 2010, but for 2014, Jackie is the only female skier representing Lebanon because the country was allotted only one quota spot since no Lebanese skier placed in the top 500 in the world on the basis of points awarded for performance by the International Ski Federation.
Njeim was counting on the assurance by the Lebanese Ski Federation in 2013 that for 2014, the selection process is based not just on FIS points but also results of the National Championships where she won the giant slalom title by 3.41 seconds, beating teenage skier Natacha Mohbat and Jackie by 5.78 seconds. She also bested Chamoun in the slalom event by 2.29 seconds.
YouTube/Run Nes
However, Njeim harbours no ill feelings for Jackie, now in the eye of a storm due to a pictorial they both took part in.
Jackie actually acknowledges that Chirine is better than her. "Chirine is the best skier in Lebanon. Of course, I always think if Chirine could have been in my place maybe she could have made a better result for Lebanon," Chamoun was quoted by NBC.
With the outrage their topless photos had generated, Jackie is probably secretly wishing also that Chirine would have shared half of the flak as well.