It's really not cool being an NHL 'ice girl'

A new report lifts the lid on the cruel and degrading treatment meted out to cheerleaders employed by ice hockey teams in the US.

With most of the world's eyes on Brazil and the World Cup, in the US attention is still focused on the seven-game Stanley Cup between the Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers.

Mother Jones specifically focused on the NHL's cheerleading 'ice girls' whose job it is to enthuse the crowd and sweep away loose ice.

One former member of the Philadelphia Flyers told the website the strict conditions imposed upon the cheerleaders were akin to a "torture camp".

The women, who perform in sub-zero temperatures wearing little more than a bikini, are apparently:

• Banned from wearing jackets on or off the ice
• Forbidden from being seen eating in public
• Not allowed to be in the same room (in private or public) as an NHL player outside the arena

For this the women employed by the LA Kings are paid around $15 (£8.90) for corporate appearances and less for games. But they are expected to pay for their own hair and make-up, often costing more than $300 (£177) every month.