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Team GB's Olivia Breen 'disgusted' by comments over 'inappropriate' sprint kit from official

Team GB Paralympian Olivia Breen has said she was left "disgusted" after an England Athletics official told her that her sprint uniform was "inappropriate" and "too revealing" at the England Championships on Sunday.

Double world-champion Breen, who has cerebral palsy, is set to compete in the T38 long jump at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games next month.

Breen was wearing the same style of competition briefs that she has worn for the duration of her nine-year career.

"I just finished my last long jump competition before [Paralympic] selection," Breen told ESPN. "This official came up to me and said to me: 'Can I speak to you?' And she just said, 'I think your briefs are too revealing. I think you should consider buying some shorts.'

"I was just ... I am very expressive, and I didn't know what to say. So my response was: 'Are you joking?'

"And she was just like: 'No, I think you should consider buying a pair of shorts."

Breen said she was annoyed from the start and that the more she's thought about the situation, the more she has thought she was treated poorly.

"I felt disgusted. I was just taken by surprise and gobsmacked," she said. "This is so wrong. We're not living in the 18th century. Life has moved on. As an athlete, personally, I have never experienced that before."

Breen, a bronze medallist at London 2012 in the women's 4x100m relay T35-T38, has said she has received a host of messages from young female athletes who say they have experienced similar comments.

"The messages all said, 'I really appreciate you speaking out, and it's happened to me. It's great that you're using your voice, and we really appreciate it,'" Breen said.

"I had no idea this has happened to so many athletes and so many young girls. Some people said it has left them crying. Some people even got disqualified as well. This needs to change!"

An England Athletics spokesperson told ESPN: "We are aware of the post and will be investigating as a matter of urgency. The well-being of all participants in athletics is of the utmost importance and everyone should feel comfortable to compete and participate in the sport."

Breen has called for all officials to be more mindful of their comments toward athletes.

"What I would like to happen is that [officials] never make any [personal] comments to any females or males. Just accept what we're wearing. If we're not sticking to the rules, that's fine. But if we're wearing the ruled outfit, don't say anything to us about it.

"I think England Athletics and officials need to be educated on what they can and can't say to us.

"I didn't realise how much of a response I would get and how much coverage I would get. I'm really glad I spoke out about it because it's disgusting and it needs to change. They [officials] can't do that to us."