Daley and husband resolve differences with British Swimming

Tom Daley and his husband Dustin Lance Black have resolved their differences with British Swimming, the two parties have announced in a joint statement.

Black had launched a furious Twitter tirade against the governing body in the wake of issues arising during the World Series event at the London Aquatics Centre in May, in which Daley was competing.

Black had said he felt unable to attend the final day of the event with the couple’s young son due to a “toxic environment”, and “a situation that is neither safe nor welcoming for our family.”

Neither party has been willing to clarify the precise nature of the disagreement but it did, as was initially presumed, relate to issues over baby-buggy access at the venue.

In the joint statement, the two parties said: “Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black met with Maurice Watkins, Chairman of British Swimming and Jack Buckner – its CEO.

“The meeting was held to discuss issues arising from the recent event at the London Aquatics Centre where Tom was competing.

“British Swimming acknowledges that certain misunderstandings arose (not about a buggy), which have now been resolved.

“British Swimming regrets any misunderstandings on its part and any inconvenience caused to Tom, Lance and their family.

“One important outcome of the matter is that British Swimming is keen, as are many other sports, to recognise better the commitment of friends and family of competing elite athletes.

“Whilst acknowledging the difficulties attendant around World and Olympic events, British Swimming will be carrying out an immediate review of their processes, which it believes will help to address and obviate the issues that arose at the event.”