Verona, 19 August (AKI) - A young Muslim girl has stopped going to a public swimming pool in the northern Italian city of Verona after its director questioned whether her traditional Islamic head-to-toe swimsuit or 'burkini' was hygenic. The grilling reportedly followed complaints from mothers at the pool who claimed the costume had frightened their children.

The Muslim girl, who was not named in press reports, had swum twice at the pool in her burkini. But on her third visit, the pool's director Christian Panzarini asked what material the costume was made of and said it could pose a risk to public health.

Although the girl was not asked to leave the pool, she was requested to mail the details about the material of her burkini and has not been swimming there since.

Italian Triathlete Monica Ferrari, who trains at the Verona pool, defended the Muslim girl. "It certainly had an effect on me seeing her swimming like that, but I didn't notice she frightened any children," she said.

"And there's guy with skin problems who swims in a wetsuit and gloves, who nobody pays any particular attention to," Ferrari added.

"Sure, even Federica Pellegrini jumps into a pool in a cap and full body suit and even our swimming instructors wear full body suits," Panzarini, admitted.

"But in this case, some of the mothers have complained because it scared their children," he said.

The burkini has sparked controversy in Europe recently. In France, home to Europe's largest Muslim community, a 35-year-old women was told she could not wear a burka swim suit at a public pool in Paris last month.

In Britain, on the other hand, some public pools have reportedly ordered male and female swimmers to dress in "modest attire" to avoid offending Muslims.