Swimmer, 17, who crushed the competition in the 100m freestyle is stripped of her victory because her high school-issued bathing suit ‘exposed too much buttocks’ – a decision coaches have slammed for being racist and sexist

• Breckynn Willis was disqualified from the race in Anchorage, Alaska last Friday
• The decision is now being investigated by the Anchorage School District 
• One coach said the Dimond High School student was ‘targeted and singled out’
• Willis had worn the suit without any problems at three prior meets this season 
• The same official is said to have also criticized Breckynn’s sister and her suit
• Referee claimed she could see ‘butt cheek touching butt cheek’ on Willis’ suit
• Officials have released graphics to show suits deemed appropriate for athletes

A teenage girl wearing her high school issued bathing suit had her swimming victory taken away for ‘exposing too much buttocks’ in decision branded ‘racist and sexist’ by coaches. 

State championship swimmer Breckynn Willis, 17, was told she had been disqualified from the race in Anchorage, Alaska, after crushing the competition in the 100m freestyle last Friday. 

The decision based on the ‘modesty rule’ is now being investigated by the Anchorage School District after local coach Lauren Langford said she was ‘targeted for the way the suits fit a curvier, and fuller figured body’. 

Dimond High School student Willis had worn the suit without any problems at three prior meets this season, according to KTUU. 

Breckynn Willis, 17, left, was told she had been disqualified from the race in Anchorage, Alaska, after crushing the competition in the 100m freestyle last Friday. She is pictured with her coach DeWayne Ingram and sister Dreamer Kowatch

Willis was wearing the approved, school-issued suit. Officials have released graphics to show suits deemed appropriate for athletes

In a statement the Anchorage School District said: ‘The disqualification appears to stem from a difference of opinion in the interpretation of the rules governing high school swim uniforms.

‘The Dimond swim team has purchased approved, team suits for every swimmer that meet the requirements put forth by the NFHS.

‘The disqualified athlete was wearing the approved, school-issued suit during the race. In the first three meets this year, the Dimond swim team has had no disqualifications related to the wear of the swim uniform. 

‘We intend to gather all the facts surrounding the disqualification so we can accurately address the matter with officials and take appropriate action to ensure fair, equitable competition and consistent application of the rules for this athlete and her peers.’ 

West High School’s swimming coach Lauren Langford wrote a lengthy rebuttal of the decision on Medium. She said: ‘The rest of her team was wearing the same uniform, and she was the only one disqualified.

‘It is my opinion that she has been targeted and singled out over the course of the last year.

‘It comes down in my opinion to the race thing. It was so targeted. It was so intentional, and so individual. 

‘She’s one of three girls on the Dimond team who look like her. Everybody else is in same suit, sized to fit, and yet on a team of however many girls she was the only one that got singled out?

‘I was filled with so much anguish over the way these young girls have been forced to suffer.’ 

She told The Washington Post: ‘All of these girls are all wearing suits that are cut the same way. And the only girl who gets disqualified is a mixed-race girl with rounder, curvier features.’ 

The girl’s coach, DeWayne Ingram, shared Langford’s blog on Facebook, writing: ‘This is an absolute disgrace and something must be done to rectify it ASAP! I can personally attest that these are absolutely remarkable, upstanding, intelligent, driven, academically solid and highly talented student-athletes that do not deserve this-at all.’ 

The same referee is said to have also criticized Breckynn’s sister Dreamer Kowatch and her suit during the 2018-19 school year. 

Another official at the event said the referee claimed she could see ‘butt cheek touching butt cheek’ on Willis’ uniform. 

Annette Rohde said: ‘I told her, ‘I need to know how you’re defining this, because this is going to blow up’.’ 

Meagan Kowatch, the girls’ mother, told KTUU she wants the disqualification overturned.

The same referee is said to have also criticized Breckynn’s sister Dreamer Kowatch, left, and her suit during the 2018-19 school year. Dimond High School student Willis, right, had worn the suit without any problems at three prior meets this season

Lauren Langford, pictured, said the high school student was ‘targeted and singled out’

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) said in August that an athlete wearing a uniform not within guidelines could be disqualified. 

Graphics on Alaska School Activities Association show suits deemed appropriate for both male and female athletes. 

NFHS Executive Director Karissa Niehoff wrote in August: ‘There is a growing trend in high school swimming and diving of athletes wearing training and competitive suits in a manner that contradicts with the intention of their original design and manufacture.

‘Specifically, suits are being worn in such a way as to expose the athlete’s buttocks. This issue is not gender-specific and is occurring in various states across the country.’ 

Guidelines say the suits must ‘be worn in the appropriate size as dictated by that manufacturer’s specifications for the athlete’s body type and shall remain unaltered. Boys shall wear suits which cover the buttocks, and girls shall wear suits which cover the buttocks and breasts.’ 

But Langford argues: ‘Before these suits even get on an athlete’s body, the cut of them isn’t in compliance with the modesty rule.’ 

Sandy Searcy, Director of Sports for the NFHS, said: ‘What we’re attempting to do is try to define the parameters of the problem that quite frankly has been brought to us by adults who are uncomfortable being on deck with young men and young ladies who are not appropriately covered.’  

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