SWIMMING CHIEF CALLS FOR AN END TO "NANNY STATE"
Swimming chief David Sparkes has hit out at pool operators
for adopting guidelines he feels are stopping people from
participating in the sport and limiting the numbers of children
learning to swim.
The Chief Executive of the Amateur Swimming Association has
called for a sensible approach from facility operators and
an end to the "nanny state" in pools following revelations
that a Government minister and his children were turned away
from a pool in Sheffield while pools in Bournemouth have stopped
providing armbands because of a fear of spreading germs.
Former Sports minister Richard Caborn MP and his two children
were turned away from Graves Leisure Centre after staff told
him that strict health and safety regulations limited him
to supervising just one child in the water at a time.
And in Bournemouth pool managers have stopped issuing inflatable
swimming aids because they claim a full-time member of staff
is needed to ensure stringent guidelines are obeyed.
These regulations include a cleansing programme to minimise
the risk of spreading germs when inflated via the mouth, daily
inspection for punctures and the need for instructions to
staff on how to deal with inflatable-related issues.
"While everyone must have the safety of participants
as their highest priority the nanny state seems to have taken
over the operation of swimming pools in this country,"
said Sparkes.
"If we are to achieve the Government targets of increasing
participation in sport as we move towards the London 2012
Olympics it is imperative that we see a change of culture
in the leisure industry and in particular in operators of
our public and private swimming pools.
"Clearly there is a responsibility to point out to an
adult of two young children the potential risks involved,
however, we all have a responsibility for our own safety.
While pool operators should not allow reckless behaviour,
commonsense surely must prevail."
Sparkes is concerned that too much red tape and a fear of
litigation as a result of an accident is guiding operators
on how to run swimming pools but it is actually standing in
the way of both teaching and practising the valuable life
skill.
"Recent suggestions that armbands are a health hazard,
while plausible, must be seen as completely bizarre,"
said Sparkes. "One can only begin to comprehend the millions
of children who have learnt to swim and have fun in pools
while wearing armbands as well as the millions of adults who
have inflated these aids and have survived to tell the tale.
"Surely the time has come for the commonsense people
who enjoy swimming as a family activity to stand up and challenge
those who are risk averse and produce rules and regulations
which present obstacles to fun and participation.
"These guidelines are now standing firmly in the way
of the Government's clear agenda to increase the numbers of
people actively participating in sport as well as the ASA's
goals of giving everyone the opportunity to learn to swim
and to enjoy swimming as part of a healthy lifestyle."
Sparkes is calling on pool operators and policy makers to
use a more flexible approach to managing facilities while
ensuring safety remains of the highest priority.
"We all meet rules in our day-to-day lives but the time
has come to say enough is enough, particularly in swimming
pools. The swimming police should be firmly put in their place
and we should all focus on encouraging young people and families
to enjoy swimming.
"The culture of the pool needs to move from one of risk
averse to managing risk sensibly and in doing so adding value
to the customer."
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