A 61-YEAR-OLD MAN claims he lost his job as a lifeguard after refusing to wear small, tight swim shorts during a competitive event.
Roy Lester told the New York Daily News he wanted to take the annual swim test in bicycle shorts instead of the Speedo gear. He said he is suing the state of New York for alleged age discrimination.
The lawsuit was originally filed two years ago and was dismissed, but was reinstated by an appeals court last week.
Lester says he wore a Speedo in his 20s, “but come on. There should be a law prohibiting anyone over the age of 50 from wearing a Speedo.”
He claims the swimwear clause is an effort to push older lifeguards out of their jobs. State officials have declined to comment on whether a Speedo policy was in place when Lester attempted to take the swim test.
- Additional reporting by the AP
