A waterpark has spoken out on accusations of sexism after its 'male only' waterslide went viral, admitting women weren't always barred but they had to be for an important reason.
It comes after a world champion diver learnt the hard way what happens after going down the 'no women' slide at the Area 47 water park in Austria.
Rhiannan Iffland was curious to find out what women were missing out on while visiting the terrifying attraction which, by the way, boasts speeds of up to a mega 50 mph. Have a look:
Despite being a seven-time world champion cliff diver who is more than used to daunting heights, she knew she had f*cked up when ignoring the sign.
Advert
Moments after the 32-year-old disappeared down the male-only contraption, she let out a piercing scream.
Sharing the video on Instagram, she wrote: "Here for a good time not a long time!
"Another YOLO moment."
The entire thing was filmed by her mate and it's since gone viral after making its rounds across social media.
Advert
People have since hit out against Area 47, implying that the park’s decision to have a male-only slide was pretty sexist.
Since then, the waterpark has issued a response addressing the 'misogyny' claims.
A spokesperson from the park told Tyla: "AREA 47 was built in 2009/2010. At that time, we did not intend to create a "men only" attraction within the water park. Initially, this particular slide was open to both women and men.
Advert
"However, in the second year, we noticed a significant increase in accidents on this slide, which required us to take action. We consulted with doctors, authorities, and the manufacturer of the slide.
"This led to a difficult decision: either disassemble the water slide or restrict its use to men only, as it stands now."
They continued: "Our highest priority is ensuring the safety and happiness of all our guests, regardless of gender.
Advert
"The risks for women using this slide were tragically highlighted a few years ago when a woman was severely injured on a similar slide in the Canary Islands.
"I want to emphasise that AREA 47 is not misogynistic. Approximately 50% of our team members are female, and 60% of our management team is female."
According to the National Library of Medicine in the US, women can sustain horrific injuries if high pressure water enters their body, while there is also a risk of infections due to the foreign bodies found in the water.
Realising her mistake, Iffland told news.com.au: "It was never my intent to mock the safety regulations of this water slide.
Advert
“A person’s safety is paramount and I am constantly weighing up any danger with my job.
"To suggest otherwise, is wrong.”
Topics: News, World News, True Life, Real Life, Health
Rhiannon Ingle