57 percent of Danish kids have never had any kind of formal swimming instructions, according to a study released by Børneulykkesfonden (Children’s Accident Foundation). The municipalities decide if swimming shall be part of the physical education in schools, but still parent expect their kids to automatically learn to swim there. Michael Aller chairman of RÃ¥det for Større Badesikkerhed (Council of Greater Swimming Safety) has difficulties with understanding this, for as he says, if you don’t learn English, German og French, you can always learn it later, but if you don’t learn to swim, you can drown. Source: 24.dk.

Armed police gave the children a scare when they stormed the Papamoa Swimming Club lesson in Papamoa, New Zealand, apprehending the man they were after, but not before all of the people at the swimming pool were ordered to lay on the ground. Once the man was apprehended, the police took time to talk with the children, showing them some of their weapons including a Taser. Source: sunlive.co.nz.

Olympic swimming champions Duncan Goodhew and Rebecca Adlington have joined forces with the British swimming sponsor British Gas and the ASA to support the launch of a new website Pool Watch, to provide a potential lifeline for local communities fighting to keep their local swimming pools afloat.

Swimming is the UK’s biggest participation sport, and more than 3 million people swim once a week. Nevertheless, 63 UK public sector swimming pools closed in 2009, while only 28 pools opened. There was also a 27% decrease in the number of school pools between 2002 and 2009.

Source: swimming.org