Following an investigation by a child safeguarding expert as well as a scathing report published by BBC surrounding accounts of eating disorders, bullying and mental health issues, the storied Ellesmere Titan swim club in England is set to close.
The club has been home to such elite British athletes as European Short Course champion Freya Anderson, European Championships medalist Cassie Wild and Olympic open water swimmer Hector Pardoe.
Per BBC, ‘a year-long probe uncovered more than 70 separate complaints concerning some coaches’ behavior and the club management’s failure to deal with multiple serious issues concerning the children.’
Swimmers attested to an environment rife with derogatory comments, a controversial regime of weighing children as young as 10, and general fat-shaming.
Says one unnamed former swimmer, “Swimming was my life and I only spoke out about what happened to me so I could stop other young people experiencing eating disorders and the anxiety that I suffered with for years.”
As background, Ellesmere coach Alan Bircher after he was removed from the British swimming staff for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games after a 12-month investigation from Swim England uncovered a “toxic culture of bullying, fat-shaming, defying Covid restrictions, and failing to report safeguarding concerns” by Bircher at the club where he served as Director of Swimming.
At the time, several current and former members of the team signed a letter in his support.
In the BBC article, one unnamed swimmer stated, “Many people have had good experiences at Titans. If you were swimming well, then you were OK. But the favourites did not have the same experience as some of the rest of us.”
“It was noted if we put on any weight at all – even 0.2kg,” she said. “And then if we didn’t swim well, he’d suggest it was because we’d put weight on.
“We were young women, our bodies were changing all the time, but Alan made it feel like, if you lost weight, you’d be the best.”
Another swimmer, Rachel*, said she too was traumatised by having her weight publicised and also developed eating issues.
“One week I was told I needed to lose 10kg,” she said. “Alan would give us tips on how to lose weight – such as chew your food 100 times, that sort of thing.
“He’d also watch us in the dining room. We’d go and have breakfast after training and he’d turn up to see what we were eating. If it was a hash brown, he’d say we shouldn’t be having it.
“I lost a lot of weight really quickly. At my previous club we had food logs, where our coaches would see if we were getting the right nutrition for our training.
“But at Titans you felt like you had to eat as little as possible and that you were constantly being watched. It’s left a lasting impression on me.
“Even if he thought he was doing it to motivate us, you just can’t speak to a 12 or 13-year-old girl like that.
“I felt so alone, there was just no support. And you felt like you couldn’t say anything about what was happening because you’d be kicked out.”
When asked by BBC, Bircher issued a statement through the British Swimming Coaches Association which said: “Alan Bircher proactively participated in a Swim England investigation into concerns raised at Ellesmere Titans.
“This investigation and its findings were confidential. Mr Bircher’s involvement in related matters concluded in October 2021 and he is no longer involved in swimming in any capacity.
“He will make no further comment.”
Ellesmere College has told the BBC that the Titans was not run by Ellesmere College and it now intended to establish its own swimming academy. But without accreditation to Swim England, it will rule children out of recognised competitions.
You can read the BBC article in its entirety here.
As of the time of publishing, there is no notice on the Ellesmere Titans’ website or social media regarding closure sates.
Nobody is considering the 70 or so swimmers at the Titans who love the program and the coaching. Many are in the middle of their A’Levels and no consideration is given to how they feel, about how their club is being ripped away from them and dragged through the media.
SE is not considering here how this is affecting them. SE have not spoken to the rest of the swimmers who they are now upsetting. Terrible doing this to committed and talented young athletes.
Interesting..I swam in the 70s national level. Famous coach. The girls were weighed every Friday in front of the team. We got swats with a kickboard for stepping on the bottom..it was the culture of sport back then..coaches yelled, they were also pretty honest about what it took to be great. Some NEEDED the push, others didn’t..Any SUCCESSFUL coach or teacher will have enemies or detractors. And every swimmer will have had a different take based on their own perceptions. And those perceptions can be totally skewed. A scowl directed at one swimmer can mean nothing. To another it can mean everything. A coach cannot be everything to everyone.
Geez
Such sad news for Ellesmere. Swim England have made a mess of this imo, and were not transparent in the process with parents at the club. My child loved Titans, it was like a family, Amanda and the team were fantastic and his health and wellbeing improved at the time there. If this is to help future children being negatively impacted in the same way, then education for the parents would have been useful, as well as the childrens , on suicide/ mental health/ body image / nutrition etc. But instead, this fantastic opportunity on our doorstep has gone and my child doesn’t swim regularly anymore. Where is the sense of that. I support positive change in the industry, but… Read more »
The Titans have been a huge success and their swimmers are amongst the best in the UK. Everyone in the swimming world has huge respect for the Titans, the coolest club in England. It’s really sad what SE have done here. SE you should rethink this one. Terrible decision for such an iconic club.
I went to another swimming school in the UK some years back, treatment exactly the same. It’s shameful and nothing will be done..
Let’s just remember these are ‘historic allegations’. If safeguarding was an actual concern then college would have been closed – not the case at all. Fully support Alan and all coaches.
Let’s not forget that what is happening right now by swim England is damagin the kids in the programme, swim England don’t seem concerned at all. It’s a sham and nothing but a witch hunt for Alan’s success with Titans.
Strange how other swimmers have no knowledge of any of this considering was alleged to have happened so often
Always the attention is on the advantaged who have hot breakfast in dining halls after swim training in their exclusive school pool .
Also when did hashbrowns start being fed to British kids ? Most importantly does the Fish and Chips van drive by the school gates for supper? This would simply be way overload of potatoes & surely make these poor elite kids fat . ( I presume Bubble & Squak is only fed to lower class kids these days for dinner.)
SE are a bunch of eejits. will not inform parents or school of any safeguarding concerns yet sell story to press about shutting down the club. Blatant lie. Leaks the story mid exams and have tarnished the titans name but we will #buildbackbetter. #trusttheprocessiguess #itsamarathonnotasprint
hash brown enthusiast – please stick to one username. Thanks.