Discrimination against Freedivers

[ADR]

A governing body in Australia has directed public pools to place the following sign up in a visible area and to my disbelief I saw the first one of them today.

The hypocrisy of the directive is incredible given that that same governing body also runs national pool competitions including the following APNEA event.

FROM THEIR WEBSITE
“The 100m Rescue Medley is one of the events that will be contested at the 2005 Pool Rescue Challenge held in Sydney on September 17 & 18.
In this event, the competitor swims 50 m freestyle to turn, dive, and swim underwater to a submerged manikin located at 20 m distance for men and 15 m distance for women. The competitor surfaces the manikin within the 5 m pick-up line, and then carries it the remaining distance to the finish edge of the pool.”

 

[naiad]

There is some information on problems with pool staff and governing bodies on these threads:

[ame="http://forums.deeperblue.net/showthread.php?t=58574"]Freediving Ban[/ame]
[ame="http://forums.deeperblue.net/showthread.php?t=58621"]Freediving bans have started, help![/ame]

I can understand why pool staff don't want extended apnea training during public pool hours because most people are not aware of the risks and it could cause problems with children copying, etc. It is also not their job to be individually spotting freedivers.

However, there is a serious risk that sensational articles, and notices like the one above, will lead to staff banning apnea training altogether, and when someone asks them about using the pool for freediving, they will simply point to the notice on the wall.

I think they should still have a notice warning the public of the risk, but pool staff need to be better informed about what freediving is. I'm sure there is an information pack somewhere that we can give to pools.

Lucia

 

[Paul Kotik]

The sign doesn't seem in the least hypocrtical. It is a simple statement of fact, the public posting of which probably has powerful legal implications in that jurisdiction. I wouldn't get excited about it.

Look, I bought a bottle opener last week. It is in the form of a little pint glass of lager, with a nice head, lovely color.

On the bottom is a sticker saying: "FOR SEEING ONLY. NOT FOR EATING. MADE IN CHINA".

And just by the way - in my old age I've finally learned to value the words of hypocrits where I do find them. They really know what they're talking about when they say "Do as I say, not as I do !". The fact that somebody does not follow his own advice has no bearing at all on the truth or value in the advice, Mosquito.

 

[octopus]

...banning apnea training altogether...

I have always been wondering how they can technicaly do that. One can do apnea hills while swimming during public sessions and even (mono)fin on the surface using snorkel but holding breath.

 

[cdavis]

Andy, from experiance, I think you are looking at the opening move leading to a "no freediving" policy in your pools. Don't get mad, get the administrators educated. There is a lot of misinformation out there and little to counter it. Naiad dug up the best two threads on this subject (Thanks N.). I found that with a little education, my difficulties with freediving bans disappeared, plus I had a chance to think about how I was practicing and improve my own safety. If I can help you, let me know.

Connor

 

[cebaztian]

Well. it´s true isn´t.

But we all know what is behind it. Moralpanic.
"We dont understand what you are doing - so lets forbid it"

Actually (based on experience i Sweden) a compromise would be to support a ban on freediving during regular hours in exchange for poolsessions on off hours.

Not ultimate - but a base to start from.

Sebastian
Sweden

 

[efattah]

Unfortunately the lawyers who thought up the sign made a critical error. The word 'extended periods' is undefined, and thus can refer to anything.

I would go ahead and keep practicing. If someone complained and pointed to the sign, I would say:

"I'm not doing EXTENDED PERIODS of breatholding. In other locations I have swam up to 10 minutes underwater; I came here and saw the sign, and immediately obeyed, and reduced my underwater swimming to just 2 minutes, less than 1/5th of my usual."

It doesn't matter if you have actually swam 10 minutes underwater, they can't challenge you on that because you'd have to prove it which isn't allowed in their pool anyway. So they have to take your word for it.

 

[DeepThought]

I see the concern, but on the lighter side I don't see that sign prohibiting anything from anyone. Next sign the'll put up will be:"WARNING: drowning is dangerous!"

 

[ADR]

Thanks to you all for your comments. I should have pointed out that 6mths prior to this sign going up this particular pool did ban freediving, so that ban was already in place prior to the sign going up.

Interestingly after a long discussion with the pool manager at the time it was agreed that I could return to train there with a small group out of peak hours (evenings) if I obtained a level 1 coaching accreditation, completed a senior 1st aid qualification and was covered by some insurance. It has taken me 6mths and cost me $1000 to fulfil this requirement. It will be interesting to see if they honour that agreement or have now changed their minds given the activity by the governing body (and the sign) as I'm yet to go back and handover all the paperwork.

 

[kiwi chick]

Hey Andy

You should move to the right side of the Tasman there's not too many rules down below! I have great access to pools here in NZ the guards even clear a lane for me - they think what we do is really cool...seriously, though it's a bummer that OZ is going down that track & I hope that NZ doesn't follow suit...

Suzy

 

[£íáµ]

- 2 diving clubs where i live wernt intrested about new member, because of freediving, as they they said "... it is stupid and very dangerios ... it makes no sense do dive by holding your breath, if we can dive longer and safer with a scuba tank..."

- Diving tower ... " renting for scuba diving yes, apnea diving no ... we dont want any accidents here, i'm very sorry. have a nice day ... "

and many other ... examples it was 2 years ago ... then i didnt tried to find any other diving club where i can train ...

This situation is rare ... and mostly in places where people ( swimmers , scubadivers ) have no idea about freediving. One sense i heard already about 50 times ..." you should to rethink your opinion, and perheaps to switch to other sport, or even normal scuba diving, as it is already dangerios enough ..."

Anyway finaly i found a diving club with many active freedivers and will join it soon

 

[Mullins]

It's a pity to hear about the bad reputation freediving seems to have, in Europe especially. We do seem to be fairly lucky here in NZ, for the moment anyway - maybe because spearfishing's quite a mainstream thing and many scuba divers either do it themselves or know others who do. Plus Ants, Suzy and co have given freediving a pretty good rep over the past couple of years.

I did dynamic training last night at a pool here in wellington, by myself. Normally a no-no but I was able to do some long dynamics because I had three pool staff lined up beside my lane watching my progress intently. While I was breathing up they'd be standing behind me saying "come on, one more length this time!" and suchlike... not particularly helpful, but at least they were paying attention!

 

[ADR]

That's fantastic, what a wonderful world on the other side of the Tasman! .....I think I need to get on a boat!

 

[efattah]

Pool Sign:

WARNING: Drowning Prohibited. Violators will be excommunicated and denied cremation.

 

[ADR]

Maybe we can treat the sign like the warning on a Mcdonalds coffee cup - "Warning contents are hot" - hasn't stopped me drinking the stuff