World Aquatics, formerly known as FINA (; ), is the international federation recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for administering international competitions in water sports. It is one of several international federations which administer a given sport or discipline for both the IOC and the international community. It is based in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Founded as FINA (; ) in 1908, the federation was officially renamed World Aquatics in January 2023.
World Aquatics currently oversees competition in six aquatics sports: swimming, diving, high diving, artistic swimming, water polo, and open water swimming. World Aquatics also oversees "Masters" competition (for adults) in its disciplines.
History
FINA was founded on 19 July 1908 in the Manchester Hotel in London, UK, at the end of the 1908 Summer Olympics . Eight national federations were responsible for the formation of FINA: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary and Sweden.
In 1973 the first FINA World Championships were staged in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, with competitions held in swimming, water polo, diving and synchronised swimming.
In 1986 the first permanent FINA office was opened in Lausanne, Switzerland.
In 1991 open water swimming was added to the program of the FINA World Championships.
In 1993 the first edition of the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) was staged in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
In 2010 FINA convened the first edition of the FINA World Aquatics Convention in Punta del Este, Uruguay.
In 2013 high diving was added to the program of the FINA World Championships.
In 2015 FINA staged the first dual FINA World Championships and FINA World Masters Championships in Kazan Russia, run consecutively in the one city for the first time.
In 2018 FINA celebrated 110 years by inaugurating a new headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.
On 12 December 2022, during the Extraordinary General Congress held in Melbourne, Australia, the Congress approved a new Constitution and voted to adopt a new name for the organisation, World Aquatics.
Number of national federations by year: 1908: 8 1928: 38 1958: 75 1978: 106 1988: 109 2000: 174 2008: 197 2010: 202 2012: 203 2015: 208 2016: 207 2017: 209 2023: 208
Members
In June 2017, Bhutan became the 208th national member federation of FINA (now World Aquatics); and on 30 November 2017, Anguilla became the 209th national member federation. In 2023 the Philippines were removed from the list of member federations on the World Aquatics website. At the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka in July 2023 athletes from the Philippines were still competing as 'Suspended Member Federation', however by the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships in September 2023, athletes from the Philippines were required to compete as 'Neutral Independent Athletes'. Athletes from Kenya currently compete as 'Suspended Member Federation', while athletes from Russia and Belarus are currently banned from competing, but the nation's are still listed as member federations. World Aquatics also permits athletes not affiliated with a member federation to compete at events under the 'Athlete Refugee Team' banner. Members are grouped by continent, and there are 5 continental associations of which they can choose to be a member:
Africa (52): African Swimming Confederation (CANA) Americas (45): Swimming Union of the Americas (ASUA) Asia (44): Asia Swimming Federation (AASF) Europe (52): European Swimming League (LEN) Oceania (15): Oceania Swimming Association (OSA) Note: The number following each continental name is the number of World Aquatics members which fall into the given geographical area. It is not necessarily the number of members in the continental association.
Organisation & Structure
Under the new World Aquatics Constitution, ratified in December 2022, under clause 12, the following bodies are established to govern and administer World Aquatics:
