Spain's so-called 'brown challenge' – a viral trend where pranksters deliberately defecate in swimming pools – has triggered closures and alerts across the country, but UK holidaymakers are unlikely to encounter the problem unless they visit municipal pools, according to reports.
With temperatures reaching 40°C in parts of Spain this week, locals and tourists alike rely on pools to cool down. However, Spanish media reports that facilities nationwide have been placed on alert over the trend, known locally as el reto marrón. The craze, which first gained popularity in 2018, has resurfaced every summer since, evolving from a joke into what some describe as a public health crisis.
Pool Closures and Incidents Across Spain
Some sources claim more than 300 pools across Spain were temporarily shut last year as a result of the trend, with more recent closures reported in Galicia, Valencia, Madrid, Andalusia, La Rioja, Cantabria, and Castilla-La Mancha. Alcalá resident Jonathan Giraldo told digital news outlet elDiario that he and his family were evacuated from a public leisure centre in July, explaining: 'The lifeguards started saying we had to leave, that someone had defecated in the pool.'
Meanwhile, Zamora councillor for sports, Manuel Alonso, said the city's pools had been forced to close for cleaning six times already this year following similar incidents, but admitted it had been 'very difficult to identify the people responsible'.
Is the 'Brown Challenge' Real or Social Media Hysteria?
Whether it is a legitimate epidemic or a series of isolated accidents amplified by panic is up for debate. Beyond news coverage, TikTok and Instagram searches do not turn up any videos or photos of the act itself, despite participants supposedly seeking online clout. Like the 'tide pod challenge' and 'momo challenge', there is likely an element of social media hysteria, with memes being lost in translation and isolated occurrences being blown out of proportion.
Even if el reto marrón is just a storm in a swimming bath, it has proven disruptive in Spain. However, the impact on the average holidaymaker is probably minimal. Thus far, there have been no reported incidents outside of municipal pools and one private swimming club in Seville. So unless you venture out of your hotel to local lidos, you likely won't encounter any rogue floaters.
Pool Hygiene Concerns Are Not Unique to Spain
'Code brown' incidents are not exclusive to Spain. In 2016, a pool in Scotland had to repeatedly close because people wouldn't stop leaving floaters in the water. The following year, a number of outlets claimed Brits had started a similar trend called 'logging' in European holiday resorts. Most pools have protocols in place for such incidents, with staff calling out a 'code brown' over the tannoy.
Solid waste isn't the only concern. A study from the US-based Centre for Disease Control found the average swimmer offloads at least 0.14g of faecal matter into a swimming pool within the first 15 minutes of entering. This figure is likely to be even higher if the swimmer is a particularly negligent wiper.
Despite the unpleasantness, UK holidaymakers heading to Spain this summer are unlikely to face significant disruption from the 'brown challenge', as incidents remain confined to public facilities. The trend, however, underscores the importance of pool hygiene and the need for vigilance in shared swimming spaces.
