Discrimination row erupts after teen swimmer disqualified for ‘revealing’ swimsuit

A high school swimmer in Alaska was disqualified from a race she won after a pool official ruled she had committed a “wardrobe violation” by showing too much of her body during the competition.

The controversial incident has caused a public uproar in the US with many people claiming that the girl, named as Breckynn Willis, was punished for simply wearing a figure-hugging swimsuit which fully met regulations.

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The 17-year-old swimmer finished first in the women’s 100m freestyle event at Dimond High School in Southern Alaska, but was denied victory afterwards when the judge reportedly claimed to have seen Willis’ “butt cheek touching butt cheek” in the middle of the race.

School coach Lauren Langford accused pool officials of discrimination and unfair treatment of his students, claiming that the girl was disqualified for having a “fuller figured body” than other competitors.

"This young lady and her sisters are being targeted not for the way they wear their suits but for the way those suits fit their curvier, fuller figured bodies," the coach said. "It is only these girls with their darker skin and unique bodies who have been targeted."

Langford emphasized that Willis was wearing the same swimsuit as the rest of her teammates, adding that the uniform was approved by the school.

The ruling was initially upheld despite the school’s official protest, triggering an investigation into the controversial episode.

The Anchorage School District, which reviewed the case, statedthat the "swimmer was targeted based solely on how a standard, school-issued uniform happened to fit the shape of her body.”

The Alaska School Activities Association (AAAS) restored Willis’s victory and disqualified the referee involved in the scandal.