The Marsa Sports Club Committee in a statement today denied any allegations and insinuations of racial and/or discrimination by the club.

The club was referring to a story in Times of Malta where a Maltese Muslim woman who wore a full-body bathing suit at the Marsa Sports Club was told she could not swim in the pool wearing “unhygienic” clothes.

She said she felt the club had discriminated against her on the basis of her religion by not allowing her to wear the Islamic bathing suit.

“This is about equality. I felt very hurt. They told me that the suit I was wearing was just normal Muslim clothing and that I was being unhygienic. It’s offensive because I am a very clean person and simply wanted to have a swim with my children,” she said.

Reacting to the report and subsequent blogs, the Marsa Sports Club committee said it has a long history of membership of individuals of different races and religious profession.

"As every Club, the Marsa Sports Club has its own set of rules and regulations and policy (applicable to all members without distinction of race and religion) intended to ensure an environment that is welcoming to all and which rules are accepted by all members upon joining the club."

It said that any issue with the member in question had been ironed out in an amicable manner days prior to the publication of the first article.

(Times of Malta is informed that the club refunded the woman's membership fee after she contacted the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority.)