The Amateur Swimming Association has revealed that more than nine million adults in England are unable to swim.
A report released by the organisation states that 20% of men and 22% of women aged over 14 in the country do not know how to swim, but 2.13 million adults have expressed a desire to learn.
In a statement, ASA group board chair Edward Lord said: "Our manifesto calls on political parties to support the ASA in our three aims of ensuring more people have the opportunity to learn to swim, encouraging more people to swim regularly and supporting the development of emerging talent to compete on the world stage.
"But we also need the support of local and national policy makers to help ensure good quality, affordable, aquatic facilities remain available to all."
The study also found that more than 2.6 million adults do 30 minutes of swimming at least once a week, making it the most popular sport in terms of participation in England.
