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Malia Lew, a sales associate at Sunday Brunch, a swimsuit wholesaler, said she has her identification documents out and ready at work ever since Ambiance Apparel raid — even though she’s a U.S. citizen.

Syria's Islamist-led interim government has decreed that women must wear burkinis - a swimsuit that covers the body except for the face, hands and feet - or other "decent" clothes at public beaches and swimming pools.

By the early 1980s, she had become synonymous with the massively popular Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, appearing on the cover three years in a row.

Braving the chilly water in a swimsuit became a daily ritual.

Adding to the magic, she was the only athlete in a red swimsuit, creating a striking visual contrast.