The Marsa Sports Club said yesterday it had reached an amicable solution with a Muslim woman who was not allowed to swim in a full body swim suit, or burkini.

Times of Malta reported last week that a Maltese Muslim woman felt she had been singled out by the club who insisted her bathing costume was unhygienic.

The amicable solution came in the form of a reimbursement of the woman’s membership fee, which occurred after the woman contacted the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority.

The woman, who preferred to remain anonymous, declined to comment further on the case. Last week, she had described how the club’s actions had left her feeling discriminated against.

“This is about equality. They told me that it was unhygienic but this is offensive because I am a very clean person and simply wanted to have a swim with my children,” she had said.

Reacting to the report and subsequent blogs, the Marsa Sports Club said yesterday it had a long history of welcoming members of different races and religious profession.

Rules are accepted by all members upon joining the club

“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.”

The statement did not refer to comments made by its president, Ralph Asciak, who had defended the club’s decision not to allow the woman to swim, saying she was “not even Arab”.

Mr Asciak had described the woman as a martyr and insisted that, in Arabic countries, women were not allowed to dress provocatively as this would land them in a public stoning.

He added Sharia law did not even allow women to swim, questioning the woman’s religious standing.