31 March 2023 , 08:05
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A swimmer says she 'almost' feels like she's been 'body shamed' after she was issued a warning for being naked in a surf club changing room.
Ocean swimmer Nada Pantle was told she breached the 'no nudity' clause in Terrigal Surf Lifesaving Club's child safe policy.
The Australian club said the policy follows "numerous" complaints about changing room nudity.
However, the decision has been slammed by Ms Pantle's friend Wendy Farley. "Probably three months ago, a sign went up on the change room doors saying no nudity, and we all just went 'what?' and kind of sort of ignored it because it seemed crazy," she told the BBC.
She was told she breached the 'no nudity' clause (stock photo) (Getty Images/iStockphoto)"We're not strutting around naked, we're just having a shower and putting our clothes or having a chat."
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Ms Farley added that her friend was told she would be disciplined and asked to leave if she did it again, but she chose to resign from the club.
Speaking to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Ms Pantle said: "They didn't say what I did or who had made a complaint, but it sort of implied I'd done something almost sexual."
"At some point, you've got to take your clothes off to get your other clothes on. That's why we have change rooms."
The signs tells swimmers to "shower in your swimming costume and change with your towel around you".
Surf Life Saving New South Wales CEO Steve Pearce told the BBC: "We're aware the facilities are inadequate. But [the club] received complaints from some junior members about being intimidated and uncomfortable.
"Instead of just putting a blanket 'no nudity', if the signs explained why people should refrain from being nude while children were in the change room, it would have been better received, and we wouldn't be having this conversation.
"We will be suggesting a better form of signage, but the whole thing was done with the best intent to ensure the psychological well being of the members. It was never intended to be fracturing or divisive."