Swimming Australia guidelines launched to address athlete body issues

Swimming Australia has today released its Disordered Eating Prevention and Management Guidelines for creating and providing a healthy sport system within the swimming community.

The guidelines form part of Swimming Australia’s broader Performing in Lycra initiative, the amalgamation of several projects conducted since 2015 which aims to ensure the swimming community is equipped to support the growth and development of a swimmer’s mind and body that is capable of performing in all aspects of life.

Disordered eating (DE) and eating disorders (EDs) are serious and complicated issues that can impact the health and performance of all members of the swimming community, from those in the high-performance pathway to those working and engaging in the broader Australian swimming family.

Swimming Australia President Dr Michelle Gallen said the guidelines had been developed in the interests of the entire swimming community and noted “Swimming Australia strives to provide all athletes, coaches, parents and fans a safe and supportive environment in which to train, perform and thrive throughout their swimming life.

“We believe these guidelines will help identify and change language, culture and environments related to negative body image - things often said or done with unintended consequences.

“Ultimately these guidelines provide clear actions and processes that our community and Swimming Australia can follow to ensure all swimmers and swimming people can swim, train and compete in a low-risk and supportive environment, representing body positivity, a love for the water and lifelong health.”

In conjunction with the Disordered Eating Prevention and Management Guide, Swimming Australia has also been developing a best practice guide for supportive environments to measure and monitor body composition, set for launch on 1st March.

This guide aims to assist the Swimming Australia community to optimise their environments to enable interactions that support positive body image, through communication that is non-judgemental, and health and performance oriented.

Additionally, the guide will provide coaches, parents, carers and support staff with strategies for optimising a swimmer’s wellbeing through conversations focused on building confidence and promoting a healthy and positive body image.

Contributions to the guide occurred via the wider Swimming community, including swimmers, coaches, parents, state organisations, local clubs and schools, and the broader Australian sporting network, as well as both national and international academic institutions.

Swimming Australia’s General Manager – Performance Support, Greg Shaw, believes a positive body image is a key consideration in an athlete’s preparation and performance and adds “through a clear understanding of the process of executing purposeful positive health behaviours, combined with a commitment to training practices, a swimmer’s environment and the language they are exposed to can shape performance.

“This guide provides a shift in focus to developing a broader performance process aligned with a positive body image.”

The Swimming Australia Disordered Eating Prevention and Management Guidelines are available here, with the best practice guide for supportive environments to measure and monitor body composition available here from March 1st.