Swimming Australia has a new constitution to avoid expulsion by the game’s international governing physique, World Aquatics.
Key factors:
- Swimming Australia says the new constitution introduces reforms to ship higher 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 below a impartial flag on the Paris Olympics
The constitution was adopted by eight votes to one at a particular common assembly of swimming’s governing physique in Australia.
In an announcement, Swimming Australia stated 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 assertion stated.
World Aquatics had threatened Swimming Australia with expulsion due to what it noticed because the sports activities’ governance issues on this nation.
Moreover, the Executive Director of World Swimming, Brent Nowicki, had needed a extra democratic organisation with athletes having a higher say in Swimming Australia.
In an announcement in August, Nowicki demanded Swimming Australia undertake 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Under the outdated constitution, 9 member associations made up of the six states and the Northern Territory in addition to the Australian Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association and the Australian Swimmers Association had the ability to make choices in regards to the organisation and elect board members.
Critics stated the federated mannequin gave the states an excessive amount of energy.
Under the new constitution, there can be no less than 21 voting members.
In an explanatory doc, Swimming Australia stated: “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 can be designed to enhance the soundness of SAL by broadening the bottom of events who vote on necessary points and elect Elected Directors at common conferences,” 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.
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