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Public pool bars father and son from its 'Muslim-only' swimming session
Last updated at 12:52pm on 18.04.08
Refused entry: David Toube and his 10-year-old son were turned away from a 'Muslim-only' swimming session
David Toube, 39, and his son Harry were told that the Sunday morning session was reserved for Muslim men only.
Hackney Council, which runs the Clissold Leisure Centre in Stoke Newington, north London, claimed staff there had made a mistake.
However, the Muslim-only session was advertised on its website.
Mr Toube, a corporate lawyer, described his experiences on a blog.
"I arrived at the pool to discover that they were holding what staff described to me as "Muslim men only swimming"," he wrote.
"I asked whether my son and I could go as we were both male. I was told that the session was for Muslims only and that we could not be admitted. I asked what would happen if I turned up and insisted I was Muslim.
"The manager suggested that they might ask the Muslims swimming if they minded my son and I swimming with them. If they didn't object, we might be allowed in."
A few days later, Mr Toube, who lives with his wife, 38-year-old barrister Samantha, and their two sons in Stoke Newington, North London, spoke to another leisure centre employee.
"He gave me an identical story. His explanation was that it was a requirement of the Muslim religion that Muslims could not swim with non-Muslims."
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The swimming pool at Clissold Leisure Centre where the father and son were barred from
Mr Toube joked: "I asked him whether Clissold Leisure Centre would institute Whites Only swimming for racists. His answer was that they would if there was sufficient demand."
He added: "I spoke to a number of Muslim friends, and none of them had heard of a religious prohibition on swimming with non-Muslims.
"One friend was so disgusted with Hackney for trying to segregate Muslims and non Muslims that he suggested that he take his little daughter swimming with us, just to prove the point."
However, Dr Taj Hargey, chair of the Muslim Education Centre of Oxford, said it was not true that Muslims could not swim with non-Muslims.
"There is no Koranic verse or any statement from the sources of Islam that says different religions should be segregated," he said.
"The only requirement is that when women swim they should be modestly clad."
The Prophet Mohammed is recorded as saying that it is a Muslim's duty to learn to swim as it could save his or her life.
The swimming sessions for male Muslims were advertised as taking place every Sunday from 8am to 9.30am.
Leaflets stipulated: "It is compulsory for the body to be covered between the navel and the knees.
"Anyone not adhering to the dress code or rules within the pool will not be allowed to swim. All brothers welcome.'
A leisure centre spokesman said staff were wrong to refuse entry to Mr Toube.
He added: "The member of staff the user spoke with at the time was mistaken when referring to the session as Muslim-only.
"The men's modesty session is not a private hire and is, therefore, open to the public.
"Staff cannot ask your religion on entrance and you won't be refused entry if you don't appear to be Muslim."
A spokesman for the Equality and Human Rights Commission said: "Segregating services may amount to unlawful discrimination and could create a sense of unfairness, inadvertently increasing community tension."
Reader views (9)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
No action being taken against anyone then? We all know it would be a very very different story if it had been whites excluding non whites.
- P I Staker, london
Local authorities are run by foreigners who give preferential treatment to their own.
- Neil, London uk
What the hell you are talking about. The people behind banning swimming for non Muslim should be prosecuted for racism. Islam never said such thing.
Have you seen what Abu Qatada and Abu Hamza did to Islam? They twisted everything.
- Fab Bro, London, UK
He should ask for a rebate on this council tax, as he is now allowed to use facilities he has paid for.
- Db, London
Sports facilities and other social, leisure and recreation facilities have long been offering segregated services with women only sessions without any issues. To offer the same facility to men doesn't seem to me to be something that should cause a reasonable response of community tensions. Whether the men using such a facility are doing so because of religious or other personal beliefs should be irrelevant. Segregation itself shouldn't be considered unlawful or discriminatory provided that it is necessary to the service users, moderate, proportional to the local demand and involves the consultation of the broader community.
What is very obviously the key problem here is a sad lack of training for the staff on what the facilities were, what the conditions of use were and the need to be sensitive to the needs of others. Were I a Muslim, I would still be offended by their actions and the poor quality of management at this facility.
- Andrew, Peterborough, UK
I was born & bred in Hackney and this doesn't surprise me!
The council are the world's worst. Why people keep on voting in labour is beyond me.
- Scott, London
It's discrimination and there are no excuses for this.
The police should also have been called about this disgraceful incident, and the relevant people arrested, and prosecuted.
- Neil Grinsell, london
I think some right wing group should test the theory that a white Christian only swimming session can be arranged.
Islam and Muslims do not belong in our society, they do not integrate or assimilate. They instead are here to force their religion on others by will full acts of violence.
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
Political correctness gone mad!
- John Pertemps, London
