FINA Proposes High Diving for 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games

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Photo Courtesy: Red Bull Cliff Diving

At the 4th FINA High Diving World Cup in Abu Dhabi April 28-29, FINA executive director Cornel Marculescu announced that the Federation has put in a request to the IOC to include High Diving at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

“This is an extreme sport and will certainly bring an added value to the Olympic programme,” Marculescu said. “Since the introduction of High Diving in the FINA programme, in 2013, the evolution has been amazing, and the moment has come to go further.”

Marculescu is referring to High Diving’s appearance at the 2013 FINA World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona. At the event, there were female competitors from the USA, Germany, Canada and Ukraine. The men’s event featured athletes of the same countries in addition to Colombia, Mexico, Czech Republic, Great Britain, Russia, Poland and France. A total of 11 countries participated in either the standard women’s 20-meter event or men’s 27-meter competition.

This demographic is key in the IOC’s decision to include High Diving in 2020, as the Olympic Charter states: “Only sports widely practised by men in at least 75 countries and on four continents, and by women in at least 40 countries and on three continents, may be included in the programme of the Games of the Olympiad.” This will be the greatest challenge for inclusion of the sport.

Photo Courtesy: Romina Amato/Red Bull Cliff Diving

High Diving is also contested at the Red Bull Cliff Diving Series. The 2017 circuit kicks off on June 25 in Inis Mor, Ireland. The event may offer an even more recent insight into how many countries might participate in this event after 17 were present in Abu Dhabi. The circuit has had athletes from additional countries such as Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Brazil, Belarus and Australia in previous years.

Mexico’s Jonathan Paredes, who finished second in the overall standings of the series in 2016 and third at the 2013 World Championships, spoke with FINA on the importance of the inclusion of High Diving in 2020:

“We must fight for it! If there is a possibility, we must go and take it! If this becomes official, a lot more countries will start having athletes in High Diving. Don’t forget that China (very strong in pool diving) is still not present in our discipline…”

The continuous reference of the event as a “discipline” and not an additional event is also important in this process. There is a much greater chance of High Diving being added to the Olympic program if it is a discipline and not an additional new sport. Still, the event needs to proven as globally widespread.

Regardless, high divers from around the world are thrilled with the potential for this new event. Gary Hunt of Great Britain, the Red Bull Cliff Diving Series Overall Champion in 2014, 2015 and 2016, values the support for the sport:

“This is a great opportunity for our sport. If we are successful, we will definitively have an exciting time in Tokyo 2020. Moreover, it will give the important visibility the sport needs.”

The IOC will determine if any new sports will be added to the Olympic Program in a board meeting in July.

Press Release Courtesy of FINA.

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David Abineri

6 years ago

What is the definition of “High Diving”? How high are they diving from? Is it always the same?

6 years ago

Reply to David Abineri

From 25 to 30 meters high, usually 27m. And for women it’s 20m high.