2012 Olympics

The slim and prim French have poked fun at their Team GB rivals at the London Olympics by unveiling Eurostar posters with spoof Greek statues of rotund Englishmen.

Rather than portray the lithe and muscular bodies of Greek athletes at the first-ever Olympics, the French instead decided upon statues of naked men with beer bellies and moobs, such as the darts throwing fellow above.

Further adverts include one "athlete" clutching a snooker cue and another holding a discus.

The ribbing by the French coincides with a Eurostar campaign encouraging French folk to star the Eurostar to London for the summer's game, though we are surprised that the brand - which is partly British-owned - went ahead with the mocking.

As explained by Gabriel Gaultier, the president of advertising agency Leg - who are behind the posters - they are meant in good fun. "They are a homage to English popular culture," he says. "The public awaits the next ads religiously, wondering, 'What will they think up next?'"

"This new campaign has been created by French advertising agency Leg to celebrate Eurostar's partnership with the London 2012 Games," added Eurostar spokesperson Catherine Bayles.

"It has been running in France this week – a tongue–in–cheek campaign playing on the age–old Franco–British rivalry."