World Aquatics threatens to remove Swimming Australia’s membership over compliance issues

August 17, 2023

World Aquatics has threatened Swimming Australia with expulsion of its membership over concerns about multiple governance issues.

Reports indicate that the sport’s international global governing body is concerned about constitution and governance issues within Swimming Australia, including a void in the roles of athletes in decision-making and problems with the national sporting organisation’s constitution.

Following the Dolphins swim team having topped the gold medal tally at last month’s world titles in Japan and with the Paris Olympics less than 12 months away, World Aquatics has warned that Swimming Australia could face losing its global membership if changes aren’t made within the next month.

In a letter obtained by News Ltd, World Aquatics told the NSO “Swimming Australia must take steps to broaden its membership base to make it more representative and inclusive of its athletes.

“With this, we urgently request that you present a corrective action plan to the World Aquatics Bureau within 30 days with an aim towards completing such plan within 90 days.”

Swimming Australia is understood to be 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 Stabilisation Committee, and even the expulsion of Swimming Australia’s membership within World Aquatics.

The World Aquatics Constitution dictates that all 20 members of a national governing body’s Athletes Committee have one vote in Congress (Article 13.7).

Swimming Australia reportedly also fails to recognise Matthew Dunn, a three-time Olympian and multi-time short course world champion, as an ex-officio member with a voting right in their Board and at the General Assembly, which is also in violation of the World Aquatics Constitution (Article 17.2).

World Aquatics also raised concerns regarding a potential conflict of interest with two of Swimming Australia’s commercial partners, the Australian Swimmers’ Association and the Swim Coaches and Teachers Association, who are voting members of Swimming Australia.

World Aquatics has recommended that Swimming Australia broaden its membership to make it more representative and inclusive of athletes, per the source.

If Swimming Australia’s members don’t vote on adopting the new constitution, its swimmers could potentially have to compete under a neutral flag, which was the case for both the Philippines and Kenya at the most recent World Championships, though the expectation is that the new constitution will be adopted in October.

The compliance issues follow a high turnover in leadership within the NSO, with Eugenie Buckley having stepped down as Chief Executive after just 18 months earlier this year, while Leigh Russell and Alex Baumann have also served in the role since Mark Anderson stepped down in 2017.

Additionally, last November, Tracy Stockwell was removed as President of Swimming Australia after just nine months, with Michelle Gallen replacing her.

Swimming Australia is understood to be set to call a Special General Meeting to vote on constitutional changes to meet World Aquatics’ demands.

Image: The Australian team at the 16th FINA World Short Course Swimming Championships in Melbourne in December 2022.

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