Russian boxing promoter calls for ring girls to 'cover up' in future

Russian boxing promoter Andrei Ryabinsky has called for ring girls to cover up in the future in order to respect other cultures and religions.

Traditionally, scantily-clad women enter the boxing ring to display numbered signs to the audience, indicating which round is up next.

However, Ryabinsky, who is the head of Russia's main boxing promoter Mir Boksa, has called for a change.

He told the Tass news agency: "Muslim boxers take to the ring, and we respect them. This is a serious international sporting event, not a strip club."

Ryabinsky added that he wants ring girls to be "beautiful, but modest and tasteful" in the future.