World Aquatics threat of expulsion precedes Swimming Australia crisis meeting

October 18, 2024

Karen Sweaney

A year on from seemingly having resolved governance issues that had seen World Aquatics threaten expulsion from international aquatic competition, Swimming Australia will meet with the international swimming federation on Monday over delays in the implementation of its new governance model.

As exclusively revealed by Australasian Leisure Management last month, Swimming Australia remains under threat of expulsion from World Aquatics - with athletes potentially forced to compete under a neutral flag - as a result of a failure to implement a series of agreed governance reforms.

The reforms - agreed as part of a new constitution adopted in October last year - included involving athletes in decision-making, expanding its voting members from nine to 21, including more women in top positions and giving guaranteed board positions to an independent swimmer’s committee representative and World Aquatics Vice-President Matt Dunn.

Australasian Leisure Management understands that Swimming Australia submitted a new timetable for the implementation of these reforms over recent days.

However, World Aquatics' concerns at the delay in introducing elements of the new constitution were seemingly confirmed by a statement released last today by Swimming Australia that advised "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."

While largely ignored by mainstream media, The West Australian quoted Swimming Australia Chief Executive Rob Woodhouse as saying he is committed to implementing change but will ask for more time from the governing body.

Woodhouse, who only commenced in the role in April, stated “there may well be a bit of give and take on that but I’d be surprised if it wasn’t acceptable, or a variation of it, because it does meet with all the requirements.

“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."

Acknowledging the potential expulsion, Woodhouse noted “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.”

With the Federal Government having last month 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, Woodhouse noted “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 also conceded the failure to meet deadlines in the new Constitution for the changes had to be brought in by the end of April, noting “we know what the deadlines were, because they’re very clear in the Constitution to have this change brought in by the end of April.

“That deadline has clearly been missed so that’s one of the main concerns of World Aquatics.”

Should the two parties fail to reach an agreement, World Aquatics has the authority to suspend Australia’s membership, appoint a stabilisation committee to effectively run the sport and even freeze their accounts.

The suspension would also see Swimming Australia stripped of Federal Government funding.

While athletes won’t be banned from competing at events, they could be bound by the same rules that apply to nations such as Russia, meaning they can’t swim in their national colours or have the national flag or anthem displayed at medal presentations.

Swimming Australia's statement about Monday's meeting concluded "Swimming Australia will make no further comment ahead of Monday’s meeting and we look forward to finding resolution with World Aquatics."

About the author

Karen Sweaney

Co-founder and Editor, Australasian Leisure Management

Artist, geoscientist and specialist writer on the leisure industry, Karen Sweaney is Editor and co-founder of Australasian Leisure Management.

Based in Sydney, Australia, her specific areas of interest include the arts, entertainment, the environment, fitness, tourism and wellness.

She has degrees in Fine Arts from the University of Sydney and Geological Oceanography from UNSW.

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