Incumbent FINA President Julio Maglione wrote a letter this week laying out what he sees as the federation’s biggest accomplishments of his latest four-year term in office. The letter mirrors Maglione’s four-year report presented to FINA’s General Congress and comes in the leadup to this month’s election in which Maglione will seek a third term.
You can read Maglione’s full letter in English here.
SwimSwam has also obtained copies of the letter in Spanish (here) and French (here).
Maglione lays out a list things he says FINA has accomplished between 2013 and 2017 – his second term in office.
He touches on swimming’s rising profile, noting that “In 2017, FINA is more important and more recognised worldwide than in 2013.” He notes the addition of three new Olympic medal events (pushing aquatics past athletics for the most Olympic medal events) as well as aquatics’ status as the most-watched Olympic discipline.
Maglione also writes about the development of swimming federations in new nations – one noteworthy stat he references says that 108 national federations had a swimmer hit a FINA “A” or “B” cut during Rio’s qualifying period, up from 82 during the 2012 London qualifying period.
On the subject of doping, Maglione is more vague, saying that “We are 100% determined to eradicate doping from our sport. We are proud to say that FINA remains at the forefront of this battle.” On another subject in which FINA has taken criticism, Maglione says the federation has “progressed in the fields of good governance and integrity,” pointing to a new Code of Ethics and Ethics Panel created within FINA, though it’s worth noting that Maglione’s opponent in the upcoming presidential election has criticized FINA’s ethics panel for dismissing his own complaints about what he says are conflicts-of-interest violations within FINA leadership.
Maglione also says a “new Finance Committee and Audit Committee will be established” moving forward.
The election for FINA’s president will take place at FINA’s Congerss on July 22, at the start of the 2017 World Aquatics Championships.
I would say i agree with one point he makes FINA profile right up there with FIFA for Mismanagement, Lack of Governance and lack of action on Dopers. For that congrats Julio for a job well done.
Now can you please go and take your friends with you so that the sport reputation can improve.
How authentic this rubbish is from a swimming legend from…where?
I don’t like Maglione changed the rules so he can run again. At this point, I don’t feel great about either candidate. I thought the admittance of PED dopers in Rio was horrible. I see little has been made in this regard, especially with positive testing dopers admitted into Budapest. How did USA Swimming decide to support this guy with the lack of progress with PED doping?
The rule implemented to singularly hurt Hosszu should be immediately removed.
Dale Neuberger needs to be removed. He can’t be a lobbyist AND member of FINA. Maybe TSE Consulting should be banned a cycle or two before being allowed to bid again on a FINA contract.
I wouldn’t mind seeing someone like… Read more »
FINA is garbage.
Blah blah blah…