U’s participation in the World Championship has divided Rai.
In the championship, the contestants should be at least 14 years old, but U was allowed to enter as the ‘A’ standard of the association met with the standard.
But, while U’s ability is not in question, not everyone is sure that he should be allowed to compete on the global stage yet.
The subject was discussed on BBC Radio 5 Live presenting different opinions with four-time world champion swimmer Karen Pickening and Olympic bronze medalist Steve Parry.
“To see a young man that she is going into the events that is surprising on one side, but it raises the question a little as to how long he is taking hard training?” Pickering said.
“What kind of training is she doing? What is she doing physically?
“I worry about what it is doing physically for a child in the amount of training at that age. We have seen it with gymnast which are very young and its effect is long on their body.”
However, Parry said that U’s participation was “positive” and Sharon was Davis’s echo, who represented Great Britain at the 1976 Olympics at the age of 13.
“This is a young girl who is 12 years old and is right that we are asking questions, but I was a 15 -year -old Michael Phelps in Sydney and became the biggest swimmer that we have ever seen,” Parry said.
“You may have young, even if it is Sharon Davis, U or Katie Ledki, but we have to take care of their mental health and ensure that they are not being physically pushed too much.
“These young proteases should be celebrated.”
