The video, which sparked controversy both online and among internet law enforcement groups, shows her walking with confidence in a sexy two-piece, and posing in a way typical of bodybuilders, as Ms Zhang put it.

Lara Zhang, a China-born female bodybuilder currently living in Australia, has been lambasted for promoting pornography online by Chinese web police after she flaunted her angles on social media, Supchina reported.

Police claimed Ms Zhang violated the Public Security Administration Punishments Law in China and she “is using the internet to publish and spread pornographic and obscene information,” adding she may face legal action.

The bodybuilder herself referred to the short clip, which she said dates back to June 2017, as part of her weekly arrangement with her coach to report her progress online, including on Chinese social media platform Weibo.

In the 23-second video, a smiling Ms Zhang is seen striding in a living room in a green bikini, wearing heels, thereby making her muscles even more visible.

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While the police have only now reacted to the video, threatening to take the issue to court, months after its publication, Zhang’s online subscribers earlier expressed their criticism over the “vulgarity” of her content.

Having heard the accusations, Ms Zhang responded on Weibo, insisting she was just demonstrating her regular bodybuilding poses, going on to say she is determined to protect her rights in a court of law, winning the support of many internet users outraged by the police’s “ridiculous” stance.

According to Chinese news outlet btime.com, the Maoming web police have retracted their comment and apologised to the woman following the backlash.

Ms Zhang is a bikini bodybuilding competitor and has attended competitions organised by the respective governing body, the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBF).

Ms Zhang began partaking in professional tournaments in 2016, seven years after she started doing it as a hobby following the birth of her now 10-year-old son, and has since grabbed quite a few prizes, namely second place in the IFBB Australian national Open in 2017 and second place in the IFBB All Female Classic Open in 2017.

Chinese authorities have been clamping down on what they view as “inappropriate” trends on social media platforms, with a string of new regulations being introduced in central China last month stipulating a new dress code for live hostesses. In particular, they are now banned from wearing lingerie and revealing uniforms, including see-through, nude and tight-fitting garments.