- Culture of fear identified
- Racism and elitism highlighted
- Swim England commits to change
There is a culture of dread in the sport, according to an independent report, because individuals fear repercussions for speaking out against bullying and aggressive coaching styles.
Swimming facilities in England may be “toxic environments”, according to a recent report.
A culture of fear, intimidation, and aggressive coaching styles are all potential outcomes of extreme competition and power imbalances within clubs, according to independent research conducted by the Behavioural Architects agency.
Swimming participants frequently fear repercussions from their coaches for speaking out, according to the agency’s report. Additionally, they might be concerned about potential consequences from fellow club members, guardians, or even Swim England, the national governing body.
According to the report, coaches are susceptible to unjust accusations and culpability for welfare concerns, which may result in their withdrawal from the sport.
Racism was further identified as a concern in the report, which further characterised swimming as “elitist” and “inward-focused”.
The report states that members and parents of various cultural backgrounds have recently and persistently described feelings of unwelcomeness, including discriminatory bullying and the stereotype that non-white athletes are less capable swimmers.
This has, in certain instances, led to the departure of young individuals from clubs.
Many of the most problematic issues, according to the report, “flow top-down from Swim England itself”, including the notion that other members are subordinated to the preoccupation with high-performance athletes.
In total, the report presents twenty-one recommendations, all of which have been positively received by Richard Hookway, the chair of Swim England.
Mr Hookway expressed regret that negative experiences have resulted from the aquatics community’s exposure to a substandard culture, which falls short of our ideals.
“Therefore, we entirely regard with utmost seriousness the opinions articulated regarding Swim England in the report.” We are dedicated to effecting change.
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Our Heart of Aquatics initiative, which has been in development for the past twelve months, seeks to enhance safety, welfare, and the underlying culture of all of our sports.
As an integral component of that strategy, we resolutely resolved to procure an independent report that would provide a candid and comprehensive assessment of the dominant culture.
I wish to assure everyone that we completely accept the findings and will take action in accordance with the recommendations.
