Swimming Australia has a new constitution to avoid expulsion by the sport’s global governing body, World Aquatics.
Key points:
- Swimming Australia says the new constitution introduces reforms to deliver better outcomes for all swimmers
- Swimming Australia had been threatened with expulsion from World Aquatics
- Expulsion would have meant world champions like Ariarne Titmus would have had to compete under a neutral flag at the Paris Olympics
The constitution was adopted by eight votes to one at a special general meeting of swimming’s governing body in Australia.
In a statement, Swimming Australia said the “new constitution introduces a range of reforms aimed at delivering a more stable overall environment for the sport and better outcomes from the grassroots and community level through to high-performance”.
“The revised constitution met the governance requirements of World Aquatics (AQUA) and the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) and had the support of the Swimming Australia Board,” the statement said.
World Aquatics had threatened Swimming Australia with expulsion because of what it saw as the sports’ governance problems in this country.
Moreover, the Executive Director of World Swimming, Brent Nowicki, had wanted a more democratic organisation with athletes having a greater say in Swimming Australia.
In a statement in August, Nowicki demanded Swimming Australia adopt a new constitution “which will give more power to athletes and a voice on the Board, while also delivering a broader voting mass more closely connected to athletes and coaches.”
Under the old constitution, nine member associations made up of the six states and the Northern Territory as well as the Australian Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association and the Australian Swimmers Association had the power to make decisions about the organisation and elect board members.
Critics said the federated model gave the states too much power.
Under the new constitution, there will be at least 21 voting members.
In an explanatory document, Swimming Australia said: “This change is designed to ensure a more inclusive voice at SAL’s (Swimming Australia Limited) general meetings which is more representative of grassroots swimming.
“It is also designed to increase the stability of SAL by broadening the base of interested parties who vote on important issues and elect Elected Directors at general meetings,” the statement said.
Under the new constitution, Swimming Australia must create an Athletes Commission which will nominate candidates to sit as Athlete Director on Swimming Australia’s board.
The new constitution introduces a vice-president for the first time.
Swimming Australia has been through several CEOs and presidents in recent years and was plagued by allegations of body shaming.
The turmoil has come while Australian Swimming has become the world’s leading swimming nation at the recent World Championships, where the team won 25 medals including 13 golds.
Had Swimming Australia been expelled from World Swimming, World Champions including Ariarne Titmus, Kaylee McKeown and Mollie O’Callahan would have had to compete under a neutral flag at next year’s Paris Olympic Games.