Lara Bingle to sue over nude photo

Lara Bingle, the fiancee of Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke, plans to sue her ex lover over the distribution of a nude photograph of her. Photo / Dean Purcell

SYDNEY - New Zealand's cricketers have been supplied with some ideal sledging material to distract Michael Clarke - should they feel the need: the Australian captain's fiancee has become embroiled in a nude picture scandal.

Model Lara Bingle today said she would take legal action against her former lover, Australian Rules footballer Brendon Fevola, alleging he distributed a photo of her taken in a bath while the couple shared a brief affair in 2006.

Australian magazine Woman's Day published the photograph, prompting Bingle to start legal proceedings.

Bingle's manager, Max Markson, said the bikini model had met lawyers yesterday and would sue Fevola.

"Lara Bingle is taking legal action against Brendan Fevola for breach of privacy, defamation and misuse of her image," he told news.com.au.

The photo has circulated in football circles for a couple of years and surfaced just days after Bingle and Clarke were involved in a public spat at the SCG on the eve of Australia's departure for their current tour of New Zealand.

Fevola and Bingle were involved in a brief affair that started in September 2006 and lasted about five weeks - she ended it when she realised Fevola was married.

The five-match ODI series between New Zealand and Australia starts in Napier tomorrow.

- NZPA