Suspension Averted: Swimming Australia And World Aquatics Reach Agreement

After the threat of Swimming Australia being suspended from membership in World Aquatics, the organizations reached an agreement on a path forward today.

We reported last year that Swimming Australia was facing potential expulsion from World Aquatics, held in violation of multiple points within the World Aquatics Constitution, including a lack of athlete voting power on the Board, and the implementation of a Stabilization Committee.

If Swimming Australia and World Aquatics could not resolve issues this week, the nation’s membership in the organization may have been suspended along with other potential ramifications including Aussie athletes having to race under a neutral flag a la Russia and Belarus.

Meeting in Sydney today, Swimming Australia and World Aquatics signed an agreement outlining changes to the Swimming Australian constitution to address such issues as the lack of athlete voting power on the Board and the implementation of a Stabilization Committee.

According to a statement by Swimming Australia, ‘an expanded voting structure will apply from the 2025 AGM and sees the current Member Organisations, including the seven State and Territory Member Organisations, the Swim Coaches and Teachers Association and the Australian Swimmers Association, retain 40 percent of the voting rights, and will now include 5 percent for any Australian World Aquatics Bureau member and 5 percent for Swimming Australia’s Affiliate Members, including Masters Swimming Australia, Water Polo Australia, Diving Australia and Artistic Swimming Australia.’

The statement continued, the additional 50 percent of voting rights will be split between the clubs and athletes, with clubs gaining 30 percent of the voting rights and 20 percent for the athletes.’

Further, ‘the Swimming Australia Board has committed to the addition of an observer appointed by the ASC to the Nominations, People, and Culture Committee and the Board for a period of up to three years. They have also agreed to utilise the services of the ASC to undertake a Board evaluation process, open to all Australian sports.’

As a result of this agreement, Swimming Australia maintains its membership status with World Aquatics and confirms athletes will continue to compete under the Australian flag.

Hayden Collins, Co-Chair of the Swimming Australia Board, said, “We are delighted to have been able to reach this outcome today and thank the Member Organisations for their support in bringing this to a resolution.”

“We look forward to finalising this prior to Christmas and moving forward in a positive manner.”

Brent Nowicki, Executive Director of World Aquatics, said, “We are pleased with the outcome from today’s conversations and believe that the new constitution sets the sport up in Australia for future success.”

“We are also pleased that 50 percent of the voting rights now sit with the community the sport is there to serve, the athletes and clubs. This model will become one which we consider best practice across the world.”

Kieren Perkins, CEO of the Australian Sports Commission, said, “The ASC continues to work with our national sports around good Governance principles and are pleased with the positive outcome of today’s conversations.”

“We look forward to seeing the adoption of these constitutional changes.”