Swim England criticised over advice for how women with 'flabby stomachs' and pear-shaped bodies should dress

Swim England has faced backlash for an article posted in 2010
Arisa Chattasa/Unsplash
Katy Clifton30 October 2018

A national sports body has apologised after giving advice on how female swimmers can look slimmer in the pool and suggesting women with a “jiggly belly” should avoid bikinis.

Swim England has faced backlash for an article posted in 2010 which claimed pear-shaped bodies have “often been the plague of women” before suggesting an eye-catching bikini as a remedy.

The piece also said that those with a “flabby stomach” should choose a loose tankini instead of a bikini or one piece.

The guide for female swimmers, which has since been removed, said: “Bikinis totally expose a jiggly belly, and trying to squeeze into a one-piece will not slim your stomach, only emphasise it.”

For those with a “boyish body”, it suggested swimmers should try "push-up cups and twisted bandeaux to enhance cleavage".

The guidance added: “Ensuring you have the right swimwear for body shape is vital. It’s important to be honest with yourself or the person you are buying for. It can make a world of difference.”

Swim England has removed an article which gave guidance on how women could look slimmer in the pool
Swim England

The governing body faced criticism for the article after Simone Webb, a PhD student in gender studies, came across the guidance.

She said she had been thinking about taking up swimming again and was browsing Swim England’s website when she came across the article dedicated to female body shapes.

Ms Webb said: “This is material that Swim England is publishing on their website designed to encourage people to take up and enjoy swimming, material which very explicitly tells women that their bodies ought to look a certain way and that that’s the primary aim of a swimming costume.

“Swim England apparently think that a ‘boyish body’ needs to be feminized, that fat women must minimize their bodies, that women wanting to take up swimming should be concerned with their bodily appearance rather than the enjoyment of their sport.”

After removing the article on Tuesday, a spokesperson for Swim England apologised on Twitter.

It said: “We pride ourselves on being inclusive and respectful to all. Earlier today it was brought to our attention that one of our old web pages was neither.”

“This does not reflect our values and we took it down immediately. Thanks to everyone who brought this to our attention,” it wrote alongside the hashtag #sorry.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Swim England added: “As soon as the article was brought to our attention we removed the page and are in the process of replacing it with more appropriate information.

"Swimming is one of the most accessible activities for people of all ages and abilities.

“We want everyone to feel comfortable in the water so they can take advantage of the many benefits swimming has to offer.

"We apologise for any offence this old information may have caused and hope this won't deter people from continuing to enjoy the water."

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