THE BUREAU

The Bureau shall consist of the President and thirty-nine (39) Bureau Members.

  • President: The President is elected by the Congress.   
  • Continental Representatives: Twenty-two (22) Bureau Members are elected by the Congress as continental representatives. They shall be distributed geographically and per gender as follows:

Africa: five (5), with no more than three (3) representatives of a single gender
America: five (5), with no more than three (3) representatives of a single gender;
Asia: five (5), with no more than three (3) representatives of a single gender;
Europe: five (5), with no more than three (3) representatives of a single gender; and
Oceania: two (2), with one (1) of each gender.

The following positions shall be filled from the above quota: five (5) Vice Presidents, one from each of the five Continents, including the First Vice President and the Second Vice President; and the Treasurer.

  • World-at-Large Bureau Members: Sixteen (16) additional Bureau Members are elected by the Congress as World-at-Large Bureau Members. They shall be distributed geographically and per gender as follows:

Africa: three (3), with no more than two (2) representatives of a single gender;
America: four (4), with no more than three (3) representatives of a single gender;
Asia: four (4), with no more than three (3) representatives of a single gender;
Europe: four (4), with no more than three (3) representatives of a single gender; and
Oceania: one (1), female or male.

  • Athletes Committee: The Chair of the Athletes Committee is ex officio a Bureau Member.

WORLD AQUATICS BUREAU MEMBERS

President

  1. Husain AL MUSALLAM

    President

    Nationality: KUW, Kuwait

    Captain Husain Al-Musallam of Kuwait is the new World Aquatics President since 5th June 2021.

    He was World Aquatics First Vice-President since July 2017, after serving as Vice-President for many years. He initially joined the World Aquatics Bureau in 1996. He received the World Aquatics Gold Pin in recognition to his contribution to swimming at all levels throughout his life.

    Al-Musallam joined the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Executive Board in January 2003 and is the OCA General Director (since 2005).

    Before becoming an important sports administrator, Al-Musallam debuted his career as a swimmer in the national team of Kuwait. He competed in all Pan-Arab, Asian and World Championships from 1974 to 1976.

    Husain Al-Musallam was born on May 19, 1960, in Kuwait. He is married with children and is an airline captain by profession. 

First Vice President

  1. Sam RAMSAMY

    First Vice President

    Nationality: RSA, South Africa

Second Vice President

  1. Matthew DUNN

    Second Vice President

    Nationality: AUS, Australia

Treasurer

  1. Dale NEUBURGER

    Treasurer

    Nationality: USA, United States of America  

Vice President

  1. Juan Carlos ORIHUELA

    Vice President

    Nationality: PRY, Paraguay  

  2. António SILVA

    Vice President

    Nationality: POR, Portugal

  3. Jihong ZHOU

    Vice President

    Nationality: CHN, People’s Republic of China  

Member

  1. Khaleel AL JABIR

    Member

    Nationality: QAT, Qatar

  2. Taha Sulaiman AL KISHRY

    Member

    Nationality: OMA, Oman

  3. Alia ATKINSON

    Member

    Nationality: JAM, Jamica

  4. Algernon CARGILL

    Member

    Nationality: BAH, Bahamas  

  5. Fernando CARPENA

    Member

    Nationality: ESP, Spain  

  6. Monica CHANGANAMUNO

    Member

    Nationality: MAW, Malawi

  7. Mark CHAY

    Member

    Nationality: SGP, Singapore  

  8. Errol CLARKE

    Member

    Nationality: BAR, Barbados

  9. Maureen CROES

    Member

    Nationality: NED, Netherlands  

  10. Mouhamedou DIOP

    Member

    Nationality: SEN, Senegal   

  11. Sirichai DISTAKUL

    Member

    Nationality: THA, Thailand   

  12. Zouheir EL MOUFTI

    Member

    Nationality: MAR, Morocco

  13. Ana FORTIN

    Member

    Nationality: HON, Honduras    

  14. Kyriakos GIANNOPOULOS

    Member

    Nationality: GRE, Greece    

  15. Cheryl GIBSON

    Member

    Nationality: CAN, Canada     

  16. Farida A. IDDRISS

    Member

    Nationality: GHA, Ghana     

  17. Yasser Mohamed Ibrahim IDRIS

    Member

    Nationality: EGY, Egypt     

  18. Otylia JĘDRZEJCZAK

    Member

    Nationality: POL, Poland     

  19. Romani KATOA

    Member

    Nationality: NZL, New Zealand      

  20. Sarah KEANE

    Member

    Nationality: IRL, Ireland       

  21. Andrey KRYUKOV

    Member

    Nationality: KAZ, Kazakhstan       

  22. Virendra NANAVATI

    Member

    Nationality: IND, India       

  23. Luiz Fernando OLIVEIRA

    Member

    Nationality: BRA, Brazil       

  24. Judy OTTO

    Member

    Nationality: USA, United States of America  

  25. Joo Hee PARK

    Member

    Nationality: KOR, Republic of Korea  

  26. Donald RUKARE (DR)

    Member

    Nationality: UGA, Uganda  

  27. Vladimir SALNIKOV

    Member

    Nationality: RUS, Russia  

  28. Gilles SEZIONALE

    Member

    Nationality: FRA, France  

  29. Veronica STANHAM

    Member

    Nationality: URU, Uruguay 

  30. Daichi SUZUKI

    Member

    Nationality: JPN, Japan

  31. Mae Chen TANG

    Member

    Nationality: MAS, Malaysia

  32. Doreen TIBORCZ

    Member

    Nationality: MRI, Mauritius

  33. Vanja UDOVIČIĆ

    Member

    Nationality: SRB, Serbia

  34. Erik VAN HEIJNINGEN

    Member

    Nationality: NED, Netherlands

  35. Josip VARVODIC

    Member

    Nationality: CRO, Croatia

  36. Sami WAHLMAN

    Member

    Nationality: FIN, Finland

  37. Sándor WLADÁR

    Member

    Nationality: HUN, Hungary

Executive Director

  1. Brent John NOWICKI

    Executive Director

    Nationality: USA, United States of America  

TERMS OF OFFICE

The term of office of a Bureau Member (excluding the President for whom Article 20.3 applies) is four (4) years, renewable twice. Terms served are calculated cumulatively, irrespective of any interruption of the service.

RIGHT AND DUTIES

According to the World Aquatics Constitution, the rights and duties of the Bureau shall include the following:

  1. to discuss and make decisions on all matters assigned to the Bureau by the Congress;
  2. to interpret, implement and enforce this Constitution and the World Aquatics Rules;
  3. to adopt or amend the World Aquatics Rules and establish rules of order for the meetings of the Congress, Bureau, Committees, etc., in compliance with this Constitution;
  4. to issue administrative directives, including notably but without limitation in regard to time and manner of payment of any financial obligation;
  5. to issue and publish regulations for World Aquatics competitions and events;
  6. to decide and take action on any matter pertaining to the affairs of World Aquatics, in cases which are not delegated to another
    specific body;
  7. to submit proposals and recommendations to the Congress, including for amendments to this Constitution;
  8. to decide on World Aquatics awards;
  9. to review and approve the minutes of a Congress;
  10. to make decisions in case of emergency and in any situation in which no other World Aquatics body may act;
  11. to approve the title of international referee, starter, or judge on presentation of candidates certified by the World Aquatics Technical Committees. These titles are to be awarded to the Swimming, Open Water Swimming, Diving, High Diving, Water Polo and Artistic Swimming referees, starters, and judges who have received satisfactory marks for their officiating at major international competitions;
  12. to determine the dates and sites of the World Championships and other major World Aquatics competitions and events;
  13. to organise and control all Aquatics competitions at the Olympic Games and World Aquatics competitions and events;
  14. to issue and publish regulations for Agents, to ensure that the interests of Athletes are duly protected and that no conflict of interest nor manipulation issues may arise;
  15. to remove an Athlete from an Aquatics competition and/or take any other appropriate measure if such participation poses a risk for the health and safety of such Athlete or any competitors;
  16. to appoint and instruct the World Aquatics Committees as well as to control their activities and duties;
  17. to appoint delegates to the Olympic Games, other World Aquatics competitions and events, and other international competitions;
  18. to appoint and dismiss the Executive Director upon proposal by the President;
  19. to implement and develop World Aquatics' mission, strategic direction, polices and values, in particular, with regard to the organisation and development of Aquatics at a worldwide level;
  20. to oversee the overall management of World Aquatics by the Executive Director;
  21. to approve the annual budget and annual audited Financial Statements, prepared by the World Aquatics Office, under the supervision of the Treasurer and reviewed by the Audit Committee;
  22. to appoint the chairpersons, deputy chairpersons and members of the Committees with the exception of those who are elected by the Congress or by the Athlete Committee, in accordance with this Constitution, as well as to support and control their activities;
  23. to propose to the Congress for election the members of the Supervisory Council, Adjudicatory Body, Investigatory Body Anti-Doping Advisory Body, the Audit Committee and the External Auditors;
  24. to support, endorse and implement the work and the decisions of the AQIU;
  25. to propose to the Congress a relocation of the World Aquatics headquarters;
  26. to decide the location of World Aquatics high level training and development centres, including any World Aquatics regional office.