Swimming Australia & World Aquatics Meeting Next Week Regarding 2023 Violations

Swimming Australia has released a statement ahead of its upcoming meeting with World Aquatics concerning multiple compliance issues identified by the latter in 2023.

Swimming Australia will meet with World Aquatics on Monday to resolve a model to increase the number of members entitled to vote at general meetings, as committed in the Constitution adopted in October 2023.
 
Swimming Australia has worked collaboratively with its Member Organisations on this reform and we are confident that a model presented to World Aquatics earlier this week will meet their requirements.

We look forward to continuing our work with the international federation and other stakeholders productively.
 
Swimming Australia will make no further comment ahead of Monday’s meeting and we look forward to finding resolution with World Aquatics.

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 cannot resolve issues next week, the nation’s membership in the organization may be suspended along with other potential ramifications including Aussie athletes having to race under a neutral flag a la Russia and Belarus.

Rob Woodhouse, Swimming Australia CEO told Australian media this week, “We want to work with them and we certainly want to work with the Australian Sports Commission as well and work out a way forward because no one wins if it goes down the path of a stabilisation committee or suspension or anything like that.

“I guess that threat, if you like, or possibility, is on the table. We’re well aware of that but we are confident that what is being put forward does have the support of the voting members and meets the constitutional requirements.” (thewest.com.au)

Last month, the federal government announced that Australian sporting organisations need to have an equal split of men and women on their boards from 2027 or risk having funding withheld. (thewest.com.au)

“I think the member vote is the main one, but certainly from a gender equity point of view that would be a concern of World Aquatics,” Woodhouse said.

“We don’t know what the outcome will be,” Woodhouse said.

“But I’m confident whatever the outcome will be, we’re very much business as usual. For me, the priorities are about the athletes and the coaches and that high performance system.”