Swimmer 'body shamed' in surf club nudity row

Ocean swimming is a popular pastime for many Australians

An Australian woman has spoken out after she received a warning letter that she had broken surf club rules by being naked in a changing room.

Ocean swimmer Nada Pantle was told she had breached a "no nudity" clause in the club's child-safe policy.

"I almost feel like I've been body-shamed," she told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

But the club says its policy is designed to protect children, and they had received complaints about nudity.

The Terrigal Surf Lifesaving Club, located about an hour's drive north of Sydney, put up signs in its changing rooms advising "no nudity", and directing members to shower in their swimming costumes and change under towels.

Ms Pantle's friend and fellow ocean swimmer Wendy Farley said they first became aware of the new rule earlier this year.

"Probably three months ago, a sign went up… and we all just went 'what?' and kind of ignored it because it seemed crazy," she told the BBC.

"We're not strutting around naked, we're just having a shower and putting on our clothes or having a chat.

"I've been swimming for seven years and I'm 59, I feel more comfortable in my skin than I've ever felt. [When] you're in the change room, you see all sorts of bodies, all ages… no one cares. This feels really prudish and horrible."

Ms Farley said Ms Pantle raised the issue at a club meeting, but shortly afterwards she received a letter stating she had breached the no nudity rule, and would be disciplined and asked to leave if she did it again.

Ms Pantle instead chose to resign and walk away, Ms Farley said.

"Nada and I care a lot about child protection but we don't believe this is a constructive solution. I would happily pay higher yearly fees if this is a funding issue," she added.

Speaking to the 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."

Surf Life Saving New South Wales CEO Steve Pearce said the signage "probably could have been done better", but was only done as an interim measure until the changing rooms are renovated.

"We're aware the facilities are inadequate," he told the BBC. "But [the club] received complaints from some junior members about being intimidated and uncomfortable.

Mr Pearce said over a third of the Terrigal club's registered members were aged under 14.

"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."