Positive feedback has emerged from the inaugural FINA Champions Swim Series, held in Guangzhou, China from April 27-29, as athletes and coaches expressed their enthusiasm towards the brand-new elite competition.
Nine Olympic and 16 World champions, as well as 42 Olympic and World medallists, were amongst the high-profile line-up for this first event. Between them, athletes in Guangzhou had already won 145 medals at FINA World Championship level, 55 of them gold, sharing a further 62 Olympic medals.
The weekend of racing displayed innovations on and around the pool deck to create an exciting show for spectators on-site and those following the competition on digital screens around the world.
Leading international broadcasters covering the FINA Champions Swim Series include NBC Sports (USA, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands), TV Asahi (Japan), CCTV5 (China), Eurosport (pan Europe), RAI (Italy), Sport 2U TV (Italy), LRT (Budapest), Saran (Turkey), LRT (Lithuania), Claro Sports Latin America (pan Latin America), Globo (Brazil), SVT (Sweden), Match TV (Russia) and Youku FINATv (China) as well as FINATv (worldwide). All contributed to making this event a huge success worldwide, raising the profile of the sport and its starts. A total of 76 territories were covered.
FINA can confirm that 20 doping controls, including 6 for Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (EPO etc.) and 6 for Growth Hormone Releasing Factors (HGH, etc), were completed during the FINA Champions Swim Series in Guangzhou on 27 and 28 April 2019. Eleven doping controls were conducted on 27 April and nine on 28 April, consistent with FINA's robust anti-doping policy. While test targeting is not disclosed, in order to maintain a maximum deterrent effect, FINA can confirm that a number of race winners and athletes from a variety of nations (including the host) were among those tested.