Controversy over whether to join a swimming club requires... a college degree

The 2049 International Swimming and Diving Training Center in Jiangsu Province, China, has recently made a controversial move. The center operates a swimming club for women. Priority is given to women who love swimming, are well-educated, and are under 45 years old.

Women who want to join the club need to have a university degree. The membership fee is 576 yuan for two months of participation (equivalent to 2 million VND).

A swimming club in China has caused controversy because it requires members to have... a university degree (Illustration photo: SCMP).

The reason why "well-educated" is included in the list of requirements for club members is because these people are believed to have higher IQs, more knowledge, better character, and a better understanding of the rules of conduct.

According to the club management representative, the educational criteria set out in the member selection process will help them ensure the quality of the club's activities, contributing to maintaining the comfort of members during their participation.

However, the club's membership selection criteria have caused controversy in Chinese public opinion, as they show discrimination based on education.

In response to the controversy that the club has created in public opinion, the club's management team initially asserted that this criterion is selective, helping to ensure the quality of the club's operations in the long term.

Many netizens believe that having a degree is not a sure guarantee of good behavior or good qualities in a person.

However, some netizens believe that service providers have the right to choose their customers, just like customers have the right to choose their service providers. Both parties have the right to set their own rules, as long as they do not violate the law.

Lawyer Liu Jian of Zhenyu Law Firm (Jiangsu) said the swimming club management should reconsider the criteria set for members. In particular, the criteria for qualifications may have violated the Law on Protection of Consumer Rights and Interests.

The law provides that consumers have the right to fair dealings. Discrimination based on education level has been a sign of unfairness in the way consumers are treated.

Following the public controversy, Jiangsu province's culture, sports and tourism authorities have asked the swimming club to review its membership selection criteria.

The authorities said they had worked with the club's representatives to ask them to review the messages they sent to the public. The authorities asked them to send messages that were standard, humane, appropriate to the majority of the community, and did not create negative misunderstandings.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/tranh-cai-chuyen-muon-tham-gia-cau-lac-bo-boi-loi-phai-co-bang-dai-hoc-20240925095329661.htm