FINA has today announced its inaugural elected Athletes’ Committee for the 2022-2026 period, following a ceremony on the sidelines of the 19th FINA World Championships Budapest 2022.
The gender and discipline-balanced Athletes’ Committee, made up of athletes from swimming, diving, high diving, water polo, artistic swimming and open water swimming, will play a major role in ensuring that all voices at the heart of aquatics are heard and represented equally.
“Athletes are the heartbeat of aquatics. There is no sport without athletes. This is why I am so proud to be part of these historic elections today. With equal gender representation and athletes from all six continents across all disciplines, I have no doubt that those elected will strengthen and promote the athletes’ voice for the benefit of the entire aquatics community,” said FINA President Husain Al-Musallam.
“Today marks another significant step forward for both FINA and all aquatics athletes. The Athletes’ Committee will act as a critical link between athletes and FINA. Having the athlete community choose those who represent them in important decisions is critical for the future development of our beloved sport,” said the new FINA Athletes' Committee Chair Alia Atkinson.
During the ceremony, Alia Atkinson (JAM) and Jack Laugher (GBR) were confirmed as the new FINA Athletes' Committee Chair and Vice-Chair respectively. The full elected FINA Athletes’ Committee for the 2022-2026 period is as follows:
FINA Athletes’ Committee Chair - Alia Atkinson (JAM)
FINA Athletes’ Committee Vice-Chair - Jack Laugher (GBR)
Artistic Swimming
- Nehal Saafan (EGY)
- Bill May (USA)
Diving
- Maria Polyakova (RUS)
High Diving
- Anna Bader (GER)
- Alain Kohl (LUX)
Open Water
- Ana Marcela Cunha (BRA)
- Ferry Weertman (NED)
Swimming
- Therese Alshammar (SWE)
- Shane Ryan (IRL)
- Siobhan Bernadette Haughey (HKG)
- Dmitriy Balandin (KAZ)
- Jessica Hansen (AUS)
- Ryan Pini (PNG)
- Jamila Nsibambi Lunkuse (UGA)
- Matthew Sates (RSA)
- Dylan Carter (TTO)
Water Polo
- Margarita Plevritou (GRE)
- Felipe Perrone Rocha (ESP)
Appointed Members
Active Athletes
- Anhelina Ovchynnikova (UKR) – Artistic Swimming
- Adam Peaty (GBR) – Swimming
- Catalin-Petru Preda (ROU) – High Diving
- Maggie Steffens (USA) – Water Polo
- Shi Tingmao (CHN) – Diving
- Simona Quadarella (ITA) – Swimming
Retired Athletes
- Virginie Dedieu (FRA) – Artistic Swimming
- Anthony Ervin (USA) – Swimming
- Manel Estiarte (ESP) – Water Polo
- Chad Ho (RSA) – Open Water
- Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED) – Swimming
- Daniel Kowalski (AUS) – Swimming