Once upon a time, the young men and women of Sparta would play sports naked and oiled. The rest of Greece thought this was a splendid idea and by the time the original Olympic Games were founded all events were conducted naked - with the notable exception of chariot racing.
Then something changed, and most of us started wearing a lot of brightly coloured Lycra.
But some hardy souls have kept the naked sports flame burning. Let’s take a look at the biggest sports for those who like to let it all hang out.
Throwing yourself from a great height strapped to an elastic band is already a massive test of bravery, so why not go the whole hog and do it naked? It will certainly spice up the souvenir video.
Canada is the capital of the nudey bungee jump, with many operators having naked days to raise money for charity. Some will even let you do a tandem jump with your loved one. Aaah!
Base jumping – that’s jumping off tall buildings, bridges, cliffs etc with only a small parachute to prevent you going splat – is nearly always illegal, clothes or no clothes, so you might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb.
Cheddar Gorge is a hot-spot in the UK, but we don’t recommend you try it.
Naked bike rides often have a political objective, but in Germany they do it just for fun and there are several mass nude cycle rides each summer.
If you’d prefer a degree of anonymity, why not join up to 200 cyclists decorated in body paint at the annual Solstice Parade in Seattle.
Germany, the home of the FKK (Frei Körper Kultur or free body culture) movement is the easiest place to live out your Lady Godiva fantasies.
You do still have to use a saddle, but it still sounds uncomfortable to us.
If ever a sport cried out for clothing, it’s this one. Still, some hardy souls will be tempted and they should head to Obertraun in Austria, home of the world’s only naked ski run.
The Cross Country Circuit 'cross-country route' is just 4km long and sited in a sheltered valley, leaving skiers safe from the twin evils of frostbite and sunburn.
In days of yore, it made sense to swim naked to avoid being dragged under by your heavy wool undergarments. Yet despite the invention of bikinis and Speedos, the lure of an unhindered swim remains strong.
Trust the Scandinavians to have fully embraced the concept – head to Norway, the world capital of nude swimming where ALL the beaches are officially ‘clothing optional’.
Finally, spare a thought for Steve Zellen, disqualified from the 1997 World Championships after he lost his trunks diving in at the start of his race. In his defence he argued that he would have stopped if it had been the backstroke event…
Swiss plans to rush through a law forbidding naked hiking will put a stop to the mainly German (who would have guessed?) hikers crossing the Alps in nothing but boots this year.
So, where can they go?
Undoubtedly to Alaska, and adjacent Yukon, Canada, an area so vast you can wander for days without fear of arrest, or scaring the natives.
Naked running – and we’re nearly always talking a sprint – has long been popular as a dare and initiation ritual.
If you fancy a go, try the annual nude race held at the Roskilde Festival in Denmark. The winner gets a free ticket for next year’s festival; everyone else gets as much free booze as they can drink.
The only extreme thing about naked volleyball is the amount of jiggle, but it is a popular activity in naturist resorts just as it was a staple of nudist colony movies in days gone by.
Believe it or not, Cape Town is famed for its volleyball nudists. Take your birthday suit to Llandudno beach, and turn left to Sandy Bay - a beautiful beach where the Indian Ocean currents deliver warm water, and bare-bottom volleyballers keep their fellow nudists entertained. It's jiggletastic down in Cape Town.
