Rumours swirl as Putin's alleged mistress appears on Vogue cover
Russian President Vladimir Putin smiles as he stands with Alina Kabayeva in November 2004. Photo: Reuters
An editor's decision to put Vladimir Putin's reported mistress on the cover of Russian Vogue has set tongues wagging in fashion and political circles.
The January 2011 issue features former Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Alina Kabayeba in a $33,000 gold Balmain dress, London's Daily Telegraph reported.
Ms Kabayeba, 27, has her hands on her hips in the photo, with the headline Her main victory placed between her legs, gossip blog TheStir.com reported.
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Vladimir Putin hands flowers to Alina Kabayeva after awarding her with an Order of Friendship in June 2001. Photo: AFP
The Russian beauty, who won Olympic bronze in Sydney in 2000 and gold in Athens four years later, gave birth to a son in 2009.
The identity of the baby's father has never been made public.
Rumours of a love affair first broke in 2008 when a Russian newspaper, owned by billionaire oligarch Alexander Lebedev, quoted a source as insisting the story was true, the Telegraphreported.
Representatives of both Mr Putin and Ms Kabayeba have repeatedly denied the allegations but the possibility has fascinated the country for years.
They met after Mr Putin reportedly requested an audience with Kabayeba following her success at the Sydney Olympics.
The gymnast was 17 years old at the time. She is now an MP for Mr Putin's ruling United Russia party.
The Telegraph speculated that the magazine editor Viktoria Davydova's decision was likely to annoy Mr Putin.
He and his wife Ludmila, who have two daughters, have denied media reports their marriage is over.
The couple released a video interview, conducted by a government official, filmed in Mr Putin's Moscow home last month.
But among fashion circles, much of the consternation has revolved around Kabayeba's dress, which some have criticised for being "old news".
Others on forum thefashionspot.com said featuring the celebrity gymnast-turned-politician on the cover was not "high fashion" enough for Vogue.
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