From the ASCA conference going on this week. This is copied from swimnews. Does anyone believe that there will be a new world swimming governing body?
www.swimnews.com/.../8049
Looks like some heavy hitting politics going on.
Who does the insular IOC recognize and is not about to recognize any other body? The now more insular FINA.
What makes you say that the IOC would not recognize a new org? I realize that there are significant political forces behind all of this, but if you can shed any light...
I just don't see elite athletes wanting to go to some other event at the same time as the Olympics are being held.
So the swimmers who get 3rd and 4th in their events at Trials are not elite? I'm going to assume you didn't mean that. If swimmers that missed the Olympics are funded, they would go to an international meet. You'd definitely get top talent. The only problem is that many countries don't have our depth.
The propoents of a new governing body, said they would host an all world swimming event at the same time as the Olympics. I just don't see elite athletes wanting to go to some other event at the same time as the Olympics are being held.
As a member of the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee, I know that the future of open water swimmers is bright no matter what ultimately happens between WSCA and ACSA and FINA.
The sport is growing too fast, including the addition of dozens of new professional swims on every continent and a tremendous amount of local and regional press coverage and corporate support (generally outside of the United States). The top athletes are treated well and the vast number of new races - amateur, pro, charity, solo and relays - simply cannot keep up with the demand. The sport is enjoying a Renaissance Period not seen since the 1920s - at every level for swimmers of every age, ability and background.
It is a grass root sport that is not dependent upon the decisions of WSCA, ACSA or FINA with the obvious exception of its inclusion in the world championships and Olympics.
For FINA's long-time support of open water swimming since 1991 and its support of a 10K marathon swim in the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympics, the elite athletes are extraordinarily grateful. The exposure generated from the 2008 Olympics will be multiplied many times over in 2012 in Hyde Park in London and in 2016 at Copacabana Beach in Rio. These spectacular events will have a very positive spill-over effect on the sport for generations to come.
Unless I am missing something (a possibility), I cannot imagine the new World Swimming Association is going to want to do much with open water swimming. It will most likely be a pool-focused endeavor and organization. Fortunately, the discipline of open water swimming has the momentum, the raw participant numbers, the natural beauty and the allure to a vast number of corporate benefactors that are often not seen by those coaches and administrators who occupy pool decks around the world.
What a kiss A$$ of course he is beholding to them, they write his paycheck!
Careful about assumptions there, I would bet :2cents: that he's an unpaid volunteer.
ASCA unanimously approved a resolution objecting to FINA's improv rulemaking around the zipper/open water screwup among other things. Here's a news link:
www.swimnews.com/.../8052
Interesting how the FINA open water committee person commenting above expressed how extremely grateful he is to FINA.
I don't think it has a chance,but maybe it will get enough attention that this power play by the executive committee can be thwarted.
It seems like Fina's position is-we made a mistake,it was brought to our attention and we corrected it.To avoid this happening in the future we will not allow things to be brought to our attention.
If the continental organizations are all behind the proposals then surely they can find one member of the bureau that's willing to submit them. Wouldn't that be a lot more straight forward?
