On World Mental Health Day, World Aquatics proudly stands with athletes, coaches, fans and the global aquatics community, reaffirming its commitment to promoting mental wellbeing in sport. Mental health is a vital part of performance, recovery and life beyond competition. Today and every day, World Aquatics invites everyone in the aquatics family to prioritise their mental wellbeing.
As part of its ongoing efforts to highlight the importance of mental health awareness, World Aquatics continues to strengthen education, advocacy and support across its community. During the 2024 World Aquatics Championships in Doha, World Aquatics hosted a series of mental health and wellbeing workshops in collaboration with leading experts. These sessions equipped athletes, coaches and national federations with tools to build resilience, manage stress and maintain balance amid the pressures of elite sport. Similar themes carried forward into the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, where the International Federation’s development activities focused on athlete wellbeing, coaching leadership, injury prevention and sustainable sporting practices.
The aquatics family is also proud to celebrate the appointment of three swimmers - Camille Cheng of Hong Kong, Bruno Fratus of Brazil, and Ryan Pini of Papua New Guinea - as IOC Mental Health Ambassadors. Together, they bring a strong aquatics voice to the global conversation around mental wellbeing, encouraging athletes to seek support, speak openly and recognise that strength includes vulnerability. Cheng, a three-time Olympian and co-founder of Mind the Waves, empowers young people to discuss mental wellbeing. Fratus, a four-time World Championships medallist, has long emphasised mental strength as central to athletic performance. Pini, a four-time Olympian and Commonwealth Games champion, continues to advocate for athlete mental health and for greater support during the transition beyond sport.
That transition period is an area of growing focus for World Aquatics. Recognising that the end of a competitive career can be one of the most challenging phases in an athlete’s life, the organisation recently launched the World Aquatics Athlete Career Compensation Fund - the first of its kind among International Federations. With an initial investment of USD 10 million, the fund provides targeted support at the time of retirement, helping athletes feel more secure and supported as they take their next steps beyond competition.
Earlier this year, World Aquatics also launched the Women’s Health Webinar Series, a global initiative aimed at optimising training and performance across the menstrual cycle and breaking taboos around women’s health in sport. The series continues to provide athletes and coaches with the knowledge and confidence to create supportive environments where open dialogue about women’s health is normalised further.
In partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), World Aquatics joins this year’s Let’s Move campaign, encouraging everyone to move for their minds as well as their bodies. Whether it’s a swim, a walk or a shared workout, movement - especially when together - can lift our mood, strengthen our connections and help us feel better mentally and physically. As part of the campaign, World Aquatics invites everyone to “bring a +1” - to reach out to a friend, teammate or colleague and to move together in the spirit of positive mental health.
Speaking about the important day, President of World Aquatics Husain Al Musallam stated; “World Aquatics remains deeply committed to ensuring that mental wellbeing is prioritised alongside physical performance at every level of aquatic sports. To all athletes, coaches, officials and fans, World Aquatics’ message is clear: you are not alone. Your community is here to support you - today and every day.”