BELOW SUPERNAV drop zone ⇩

Paralympian Olivia Breen left ‘speechless’ after being told sprint briefs ‘too short’

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – JUNE 27: Olivia Breen of Portsmouth competes during the Womens Long Jump Final on Day Three of the Muller British Athletics Championships at Manchester Regional Arena on June 27, 2021 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Ashley Allen/Getty Images)

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

(Reuters) — Welsh Paralympic world champion Olivia Breen said she was left shocked and dismayed when an official at Sunday’s English Championships in Bedford told her that her sprint briefs were “too short and inappropriate.”

Breen, an Olympic bronze medallist in the T35-38 4x100m relay in 2012, is a double world champion having won gold in the same event in 2015 and a gold in the T38 long jump in 2017.

The 24-year-old, who has cerebral palsy, said the official in question made the remark during the long jump event.

“I feel disappointed because just as I finished my long jump competition one of the female officials felt it necessary to inform me that my sprint briefs were too short and inappropriate,” Breen said on Twitter

“I was left speechless. I have been wearing the same sprint style briefs for many years and they are specifically designed for competing in.

“I will hopefully be wearing them in Tokyo. It made me question whether a male competitor would be similarly criticized. I hope no other female athletes had similar issues.”

Breen added that “women should not be made to feel self-conscious” about their kits.

England Athletics told British media they were aware of the post and were investigating the issues “as a matter of urgency”.

“The wellbeing of all participants in athletics is of the utmost importance and everyone should feel comfortable to compete and participate in the sport,” a spokesperson said.

Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris

Olympics

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

Site Settings Survey

 

MAIN AREA MIDDLE drop zone ⇩

Trending on NewsNation

MAIN AREA BOTTOM drop zone ⇩

tt

KC Chiefs parade shooting: 1 dead, 21 shot including 9 kids | Morning in America

Witness of Chiefs parade shooting describes suspect | Banfield

Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting: Mom of 2 dead, over 20 shot | Banfield

WWE star Ashley Massaro 'threatened' by board to keep quiet about alleged rape: Friend | Banfield

Friend of WWE star: Ashley Massaro 'spent hours' sobbing after alleged rape | Banfield

Sunny

la

66°F Sunny Feels like 66°
Wind
4 mph SSW
Humidity
33%
Sunrise
Sunset

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 52F. Winds light and variable.
52°F Partly cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 52F. Winds light and variable.
Wind
4 mph S
Precip
16%
Sunset
Moon Phase
Waxing Gibbous