Ellesmere College swimming club faces shutdown as Swim England finds 'ongoing concerns'
An elite swimming club based at a private Shropshire school faces being shut down due to concerns over the welfare of children.
Ellesmere College Titans, which has produced a series of international swimmers, had two coaches suspended by Swim England last year over 'welfare and governance issues'.
The club, which operates at the independent boarding school and is predominantly made up of its students, had been the focus of an investigation from Swim England after concerns were raised by parents.
Although strongly connected to the college, the club was not formally under its management.
The college had said it intended to fully take over the management of the club – but Swim England has now said that it will not allow an affiliated club to be based at the college.
The move effectively leaves the Titans looking for a new home – an unlikely prospect with expectations that its committee will instead decide to shut it down.
Swim England has not confirmed the details of its findings following the investigation, although they are understood to have involved a number of issues including 'fat shaming'.
Following the report, Ellesmere College also faced criticism from the Independent Schools Inspectorate over safeguarding measures for pupils at the swimming club.
In a statement Swim England said its latest action came after "further and ongoing concerns have been raised".
A spokesman said: "Following the outcome of an independent process into Ellesmere College Titans Swimming Club in 2021, undertaken in conjunction with statutory agencies, welfare and governance issues were identified.
"Key actions were mandated and the implementation of these actions have been reviewed by Swim England and statutory agencies on an ongoing basis.
"Since that time further and ongoing concerns have been raised and, following further careful consideration of all the information available, Swim England (alongside statutory agencies) have determined that there will be no affiliated club based at Ellesmere College going forward."
The situation leaves Titans swimmers without an affiliated club, with Swim England saying it will help them find clubs that are.
The spokesman added: "We are conscious of the impact this will have on all members of Ellesmere College Titans Swimming Club, whether they are college pupils or local members and we will ensure we provide total support to the swimmers in transitioning to another affiliated club.
"The investigation report was not published for a number of reasons but most importantly to protect the privacy and confidentiality of those who were brave enough to come forward and participate in the process.
"We are deeply troubled and saddened by any negative experiences children have in our sports and it is something we take extremely seriously and will continue to do so."
In a statement the Titans said it was "considering options with its membership in light of Swim England’s sudden change of position in relation to Ellesmere College".
It added: "As a new committee, formed in the summer of 2021, we are very disappointed with Swim England’s latest decision. We’ve addressed the concerns of Swim England’s original findings and completed any remediation activities required by them. We are shocked given the hard work that has been put in across the club over many months. We’ve worked closely with Swim England and Ellesmere College throughout this period to enable our talented swimmers to continue to pursue their ambitions as Ellesmere College Titans.
"As a committee, we would like to thank the interim and new coaching staff, poolside assistants, parent volunteers and officials who have allowed the club to continue to operate throughout this period, drawing a clear line under the historical allegations made against the club.
"We are most proud of our swimmers who have continued to train hard and prove their varied talents competitively. This has been a difficult period for them learning of Swim England’s decision and the impact that decision has on the club that they love.
"In line with the club’s constitution, we will be working with our members to agree the future direction of the club, whilst minimising, as much as we can, the inevitable impact on our swimmers’ wellbeing and their swimming careers."
