The FINA Extraordinary Congress, held alongside the 15th FINA Swimming World Championships (25m) in Abu Dhabi, today approved a series of key reforms that will significantly modernise the Federation, helping it better serve aquatics athletes.
The FINA Extraordinary Congress voted to approve the recommendations put forward by the FINA Reform Committee at the FINA Bureau meeting in October 2021, including the establishment of an independent Aquatics Integrity Unit.
“The introduction of an Aquatics Integrity Unit is at the heart of all our reforms. It is this Unit, entirely independent of FINA, that will protect our aquatics community from ethical and discriminatory violations, match-fixing and all forms of harassment,” said FINA President Captain Husain Al-Musallam.
The Congress also approved changes to the FINA Constitution, FINA Rules on the Protection of Harassment and Abuse and FINA Code of Ethics. The adopted changes to the FINA Rules on the Protection from Harassment and Abuse will enter into force immediately, while the amendments to the FINA Code of Ethics will come into force on 1 June 2022, following the FINA Congress in Fukuoka.
“I am incredibly proud of the progress that has been made since my election. I promised you that in six months I would deliver a programme of essential reforms that would bring aquatic sports into the 21st Century. Today is the day that we deliver that promise, together. Today is the day that we confirm those reforms. We have demonstrated that our athletes and their welfare are at the heart of everything we do and everything that we stand for. I want to thank all those who have worked so hard to prepare us for today.
Announced by FINA President Captain Husain Al-Musallam on his election day, 5 June 2021, the Reform Committee was formed to identify potential changes to FINA and provide strategic recommendations on a number of areas including governance, communication, marketing, gender equity, events, athlete safeguarding, sports medicine and sport development. The Reform Committee, chaired by Me. Francois Carrard, presented the work of the sub-Committees during a two-day meeting at the FINA Headquarters in Lausanne on 4-5 October 2021. The recommendations voted on today were the outcome of the extensive assessment.
Members of the Aquatics Integrity Unit will be elected and rules adopted at the FINA General Congress in May 2022 in Fukuoka. The Unit will be operational from 1 June 2022.