FINA

FINA
Founded	19 July 1908
Headquarters	Lausanne, Switzerland
President	Husain Al-Musallam
Website	https://www.worldaquatics.com/

FINA, now known as World Aquatics, is the international federation recognized by the International Olympic Committee for administering global competitions in water sports. Founded in 1908, it oversees six distinct disciplines: swimming, water polo, diving, artistic swimming, open water swimming, and high diving. The organization sets the rules, certifies world records, and organizes premier events including the World Aquatics Championships and the aquatics competitions at the Olympic Games.

History

The federation was established on 19 July 1908 in the Hotel Manchester in London, following the conclusion of the 1908 Summer Olympics, by the national governing bodies of Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, and Sweden. Its creation was driven by the need for a standardized international authority to govern competitive swimming and water polo. Throughout the 20th century, it expanded its purview, adding diving officially in 1928 and later incorporating synchronized swimming (now artistic swimming) and open water swimming. Key historical milestones include the inauguration of the World Aquatics Championships in Belgrade in 1973 and the integration of its events into the Olympic program.

Governance and structure

The supreme governing body is the World Aquatics Congress, which convenes every four years and is composed of delegates from its member federations. Day-to-day administration is managed by an elected Bureau, led by the President, with support from the Executive Director and headquarters staff in Lausanne. Key committees, such as the Technical Swimming Committee, the Technical Diving Committee, and the Athletes' Committee, oversee specific sporting and operational matters. The federation operates under a constitution and aligns its operations with the principles of the International Olympic Committee and SportAccord.

Competitions and events

The federation organizes a comprehensive calendar of global events. Its flagship competition is the World Aquatics Championships, held biennially and featuring all aquatic disciplines. It also sanctions the World Short Course Swimming Championships and the FINA Swimming World Cup series. The organization is responsible for managing the aquatics competitions at the Summer Olympic Games, a role it has held since 1908. Other major events include the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships, the FINA Diving World Series, and the FINA Water Polo World League.

Member federations

Membership consists of over 200 national governing bodies, known as Member Federations, spanning every continent. These federations, such as USA Swimming, Swimming Australia, and the Chinese Swimming Association, are responsible for administering the sports within their respective countries and selecting teams for international competitions. Continental associations, including the Asian Swimming Federation and Ligue Européenne de Natation, facilitate development and competition at the regional level. Membership grants a federation voting rights at the Congress and the ability to enter athletes into sanctioned world events.

Controversies and challenges

The organization has faced significant scrutiny over its handling of anti-doping efforts, particularly regarding high-profile cases involving athletes from Russia and China. Its governance and financial transparency have been questioned by entities like the Institute of National Anti-Doping Organizations. The federation's historical closeness to the International Olympic Committee and its former president, Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., has also drawn criticism. Additional challenges have included disputes over the management of high-tech swimsuits, judging controversies in artistic swimming and diving, and ensuring athlete welfare in open water swimming events.

Name change and rebranding

In December 2022, during an extraordinary World Aquatics Congress held in Melbourne, the membership voted overwhelmingly to change the federation's name from FINA to World Aquatics. This rebranding, which took full effect in 2023, was initiated under the leadership of President Husain Al-Musallam to modernize the organization's image and emphasize its global inclusivity across all aquatic disciplines. The change aimed to distance the federation from past controversies and present a more unified, forward-looking identity ahead of major events like the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka and the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

Category:International sports organizations Category:Sports governing bodies in Switzerland Category:Aquatic sports