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Stricter bathing regulations in Baden-Württemberg: Burkinis and loose shorts prohibited!
In Freiburg and Lörrach, new bathing regulations will apply from May 2025, requiring tight swimwear and banning burkinis.
Stricter bathing regulations in Baden-Württemberg: Burkinis and loose shorts prohibited!
The outdoor pool season has begun in Baden-Württemberg, and with it comes new rules for swimwear, which is giving many bathers plenty to talk about. A new dress code has been issued in several pools, including the park swimming pool in Lörrach and the leisure and family pool in Müllheim. These regulations prohibit loose swimming shorts and burkinis and stipulate that men can only wear tight-fitting swimming trunks and women can only wear swimwear that reaches no more than the knee. This decision is based on experiences from last season and follows the increasing number of complaints about unacceptable swimwear, as reported by merkur.de.
The measures were not only taken to improve hygiene and water quality, but are also necessary for economic reasons. Long swimwear can introduce dirt into the water and increase cleaning effort, which increases operating costs. Underwear and normal street clothes are strictly prohibited in the pools in order to comply with hygiene regulations. The pool operators point out the need for these rules to ensure a clean and safe bathing area, as schwaebische.de reports.
Criticism and support for the new regulations
The new rules do not leave out public discussions. Critics, virtually within the ranks of the Green faction, raise concerns about possible discrimination, particularly against women who want to wear burkinis because of religious beliefs. People with special medical needs also have reason to be concerned, as there are no exceptions to the bathing regulations in Lörrach. However, the city of Lörrach reports a decrease in complaints and largely positive feedback from other bathers, which indicates a certain level of agreement with the new requirements.
The introduction of the new dress code has already had its first concrete consequences. A school class from Ravensburg had to change their swimwear in the Lörrach park swimming pool because many students only had airy swimming shorts with them. Another point that comes up is the fact that, according to the new regulations, swimwear must be made of synthetic fibers - cotton is no longer included and swimming shorts with pockets are also prohibited in order to keep the hygiene risk as low as possible. Other guidelines apply to facilities such as the Regio Bäder in Freiburg, where wearing longer swimwear that reaches above the knees and elbows is permitted, as swr.de reports.
The outlook for the coming season
The 2025 outdoor swimming season is still young, but the changes will certainly shape discussions about swimwear and general regulations in the leisure sector. As you can see, the focus is on hygiene and the well-being of all visitors, even if this comes at the expense of personal freedom in the fashion sector. The coming weeks and months will show whether the regulations can become established or whether there will be a rethink.