Anchorage school district backs swimmer

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – The Latest on Alaska high school swimmer disqualified over swimsuit fit (all times local):

6:25 p.m.

The Anchorage School District says it won’t tolerate discrimination – including that based on body shape – after a high school swimmer was disqualified for wearing a swimsuit that exposed too much of her buttocks.

The Anchorage Daily News reports the school district said in a written statement that the decision to single out the girl for a uniform violation was “heavy-handed and unnecessary.”

The district says the girl was targeted based solely on how a standard school-issued uniform happened to fit the shape of her body.

The school district will ask the Alaska School Activities Association to reverse the disqualification and decertify the official who disqualified the girl.

KTUU-television reports a competing coach, Lauren Langford of West High School, says the girl was the only swimmer disqualified even though her teammates wore similar suits.

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8:15 a.m.

An Alaska high school swimmer was disqualified from a race because a judge ruled that her school-issued swimsuit did not meet modesty requirements.

The Anchorage School District is reviewing the decision Friday that negated a heat victory by a 17-year-old a state-champion swimmer for Dimond High School.

The National Federation of State High School Associations in August said both male and female athletes could be disqualified if their swimsuits did not cover the buttocks.

KTUU-television reports a competing coach, Lauren Langford of West High School, says the girl was the only swimmer disqualified even though her teammates wore similar suits.

Langford says the champion swimmer is being punished for her athletic physique and that the cut of most competitive suits isn’t in compliance with the rule.

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Information from: KTUU-TV, http://www.ktuu.com

AP-WF-09-11-19 0228GMT