High School Swimmer Has Win Taken Away, Referee Claims Her Swimsuit Was Showing Too Much Butt Cheek
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (CBSNewYork) – A high school swimmer in Alaska is at the center of a wardrobe controversy after her shocking disqualification by a referee who apparently couldn't handle seeing the girl's "suit wedgie."
In a report by the Anchorage Daily News, the student athlete from Dimond High School had her Sept. 6 swim meet win taken from her by the ref who claimed she was guilty of a "uniform violation."
Official Annette Rohde said she could see "butt cheek touching butt cheek" and that the National Federation of High Schools require a swimmer to use a swimsuit that covers their entire rear end.
The disqualification drew immediate outrage from the school and local coaches who blasted the decision; which seemingly demands students correct any wardrobe malfunction mid-race.
"We have a term for it – it's called a suit wedgie, and if you've ever been a swimmer, you've had one," West High coach Lauren Langford wrote in a blog post slamming the call.
Educators in the district immediately went to bat for the swimmer, demanding the decision be overturned – saying their student was singled out for her figure.
"We cannot tolerate discrimination of any kind, and certainly not based on body shape," the district said via the Daily News.
On Tuesday, the Alaska School Activities Association agreed with that claim.
The ASAA overturned Rohde's decision, giving the youngster back her victory.
The sports association also suspended the use of that wardrobe rule in the future, as they determined it was "ambiguous and allows the potential for bias to influence officials' decisions."
The Anchorage School District is reportedly still pushing to have Rohde de-certified from working future swim meets.
According to CBS-affiliate KTVA, the meet at Dimond High School was not the first of the season. There had already been three others where the swimmer and her teammates did not receive any disqualifications for the dress code.
