Panorama documentary

Some of you may have seen that tonight at 8 PM, the BBC will be airing a Panorama documentary titled The Dark Side of Swimming Clubs. Over the past couple of years, I’ve been involved in supporting swimmers across England who have suffered at the hands of a small number of coaches whose behaviour has been damaging — and at times, bullying and controlling.

I’ve worked closely with the BBC team on this documentary and speak openly about my own experiences at one of my former swimming clubs. Having already watched the full programme (now available on iPlayer), I want to let you know that while it’s a difficult watch, it importantly sheds light on some of the issues that sadly still exist within parts of the swimming world.

The reason I chose to speak out is simple: to help create change. A change in attitude. A change in culture. And ultimately, a change for the better.

I truly believe that Swim England are working hard to identify and address these behaviours. But, as with any meaningful change, it takes time. I also want to emphasise that this documentary should not cast a shadow over the many brilliant and dedicated coaches out there. There are thousands of fantastic coaches who care deeply about their swimmers and always put their wellbeing and development first.

If you’d like to watch the Panorama documentary, it is currently available on BBC iPlayer, and will also be shown live tonight at 8 PM on BBC One.

If you have any questions or would like to talk more about the issues raised in the documentary, please don’t hesitate to reach out — you can email me at cassandra@wavecrestswimming.com.

⸻