Call for Speedos to be outlawed for over 50s

Speedon't: Roy Lester

A lifeguard has called for Speedos to be banned for anyone over the age of 50.

American Roy Lester, 61, lost his job at Jones Beach, Long Island, back in 2007 after refusing to wear tight trunks for his annual swim test. He is now launching a third legal action against the Long Island Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation claiming age discrimination. His lawsuit maintains that the department has a stated preference for younger lifeguards and that it is using the dress code to force out older members.

The sexagenarian, who has been a lifeguard for over 40 years, told The New York Daily News ‘I wore a Speedo [sic] when I was in my 20s, but come on. There should be a law prohibiting anyone over the age of 50 from wearing a Speedo [sic].’

The local authority’s insistence on Speedos is in sharp contrast to the conventional American lifeguard attire of red shorts, as frequently displayed throughout the 1990s in the documentary series Baywatch.

‘At a certain point you have to stand up and say this isn’t right.’ said Lester, reiterating that if you are upstanding you should really not by wearing Speedos.