Police "probe" nude sports event in Malaysia

Somehow missing the irony in those hilariously awful "Coed naked sports" tees from the 1990s, a group of brazen Malaysian nudists stripped down for a naked "olympiad" on a beach in Teluk Bahang, Penang, earlier this summer and are now under investigation by authorities.

Sort of like topless sledding, except without pants... or sleds, the "Penang Nude Sports Games 2014" (which took place at Malaysia's Penang National Park on May 31, and was captured in recently surfaced footage online) saw 18 nudists snap way too many photos of each other painting one another's bodies before competing in relay races, crab-walking, and skinny dipping (or is it just dipping, if you're already naked?). There was even a pass-the-baton run, which thankfully, did not go horribly wrong.

However, because it's all fun and games until someone grabs the wrong baton (heeyyyohhh!), according to The Star, the police have launched an inquiry into the naked sports event, and collected statements from 16 witnesses. Authorities even allegedly detained one of the group members, a 34-year-old woman, for questioning; the paper identified an additional 15 other members.

One of the park managers, Shah Headan, insisted in a press conference that "Malaysians would not accept nude activities here", adding that he "will leave the investigation to the police".

Event participants, however, claim to have checked with park rangers prior to dropping trou. "After verifying with the ranger about our nude event, we moved to a hut nearby and start stripping", he wrote in the description to a YouTube video, before explaining how much they enjoyed being all nude and one with nature.

Only time will tell whether they'll also enjoy being all nude and one with prison.


Chloe Pantazi is an editorial assistant on Thrillist's travel team. Yes, that's a British accent. No, she doesn't watch Doctor Who. Follow her on Twitter at @ChloePantazi.