A SPORTS GOVERNING body has defended claims that pole dancing classes sexualise children.

The issue came to light after a segment on ITV’s This Morning programme in which a group of children from Pole Intentions classes in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire performed a demonstration.

The programme also included a discussion between Zoe Hardy, who set up the classes, and psychologist Emma Kenny, who thought the classes over-sexualised children.

Hardy specified that the classes were ‘pole-fitness’ and not ‘pole-dancing’ and that.

Speaking separately on the radio, Hardy said: “That’s in their head, that’s how they’re perceiving it. That’s how they’re looking at it in a sexual way. It’s not in a sexual way. These children are doing this as sports fitness.”

Responding to the criticism, the International Pole Sports Federation has said that the classes help train future competitors in the sport.

The organisation told the BBC: “In order for us to be a recognised sport we have to have the same as other sports, so having children included is what any sport would have and we are no different.”

Pole Sports UK have also come out in defences of the classes, saying: ”In the same way that gymnastics has many different forms including artistic, rhythmic, aerobic, trampolining and tumbling; pole too comes in a variety of forms. The participation of children in pole should not be viewed negatively, but celebrated.”

Read: Fathers have rights and they just got a lot stronger this year

Also: A kid asked for more pocket money and received an official letter from the Bank of Dad