Tom Daley’s swim briefs fetch five-figure sum – and it’s all for a good cause
Tom Daley announced his retirement from diving after taking home silver at Paris 2024. (Instagram/@tomdaley)
A limited-edition pair of Tom Daley’s crocheted briefs have sold for more than £10,000 (approximately $13,000) in a charity auction.
Earlier this month, after Daley returned from the Paris Olympics with a silver medal, and announced his retirement from diving, he got back on the board for an ad campaign raising awareness of alcohol-related drowning incidents.
The five-time Olympic medallist appeared in a video to accompany the campaign, which was developed with Malibu and the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS). The clip shows Daley strolling down Brighton beach, an alcoholic drink in hand, before stripping off on the diving board to reveal a pair of red crocheted briefs with the words “Don’t Drink and Dive” slapped across his rear.
On Sunday (25 August), the briefs went up for sale on eBay, receiving 112 bids and fetching a grand total of £10,000, with all proceeds going to the RLSS.
The message behind the campaign came as the RLSS revealed that one in four drowning deaths in the UK occur as a result of alcohol consumption.
Statistics show that in 2023 there were 236 accidental drowning deaths in the UK, up 10 on the previous year.
Research provided as part of the campaign also revealed that 62 per cent of British people have swum or entered water after drinking alcohol, while 80 per cent were unaware of the drowning figures. Younger people were found to be the least concerned about the risks, with 78 per cent of Gen Z drinkers saying it is OK to have one or more drinks before getting into water.
Matt Croxall, the charity director at the RLSS, said: “Sadly, the risks of being around water under the influence of alcohol can be underestimated. This campaign, [while] on the surface appearing light-hearted, seeks to resonate and deliver a life-saving message around the importance of not drinking alcohol and getting into water in any capacity.
“We’re delighted to have this opportunity to work alongside Malibu and Tom Daley on this quirky campaign which is bringing to life the dangers of drinking alcohol in or around water. We urge people to learn more about how to stay safe and enjoy water safely this summer.”
Malibu’s vice-president of marketing, Craig van Niekerk, said that while “summer time and an ice-cold drink can go hand-in-hand” and many of us will “enjoy dipping our toes into water to cool off”, it is “important for people to be aware of the dangers this can present, and our research has shown there [are] still a number of people who don’t consider this”.
He went on to warn: “You don’t even have to be swimming, just being near an open body of water and having an alcoholic beverage can be enough to put you in harm’s way. Staying safe this summer means keeping it fun by drinking responsibly.”
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