Race discrimination case over child’s swim puts ‘Dutch paradox’ in focus

Father of boy refused entry to pool says case is reminder that some Dutch do not acknowledge reality of racism

When Henri Duiker went to check whether his 12-year-old son and his friend were enjoying their first “disco” swim evening alone, he was baffled. Instead of being in the water, Henri’s son was standing alone by the desk at the Watergeus pool, in Zoetermeer in the Netherlands.

He did not have any ID to prove he was under 13 and pool attendants had told him he could not swim – although his friend of the same age and size had not been not asked for his documents.

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