Olympians Announce Formation of Global Association of Professional Swimmers

Photo Courtesy: Global Association of Professional Swimmers

Earlier this summer FINA announced changes to the annual World Cup circuit that would limit the number of events an athlete can swim in per stop, while also giving Olympic and World Championship medallists direct access to finals of their events. Many of these changes, especially the limitation on events, were met with frustration on the part of athletes.

Many top athletes within the sport of swimming have taken to social media in the aftermath of FINA’s announcement to express their frustration, and in some cases, outrage over the changes.

The aftermath of FINA’s announcement has led to the recent creation of the Global Association of Professional Swimmers, which was announced today via social media.

The association’s website states the following:

We believe…that athletes are essential to a successful sport.
We believe…that athletes should have a say in how their sport is formed and how the rules are changed.
We want…our voice to be heard and to stand up for ourselves.
We want…to create a community of swimmers where we can discuss our sport’s future and unify our voice so it can become louder.

Members of the new association include Olympic gold medalists, World Championship medalists, and former and current athletes representing each of the competing continents. The membership list is as follows:

Jessica Ashwood (Australia)
Bronte Campbell (Australia)
Cate Campbell (Australia)
Madison Wilson (Australia)
Pieter Timmers (Belgium)
Bruno Fratus (Brazil)
Hilary Caldwell (Canada)
Pernille Blume (Denmark)
Jeanette Ottesen (Denmark)
Rikke Pedersen (Denmark)
Camile Lacourt (France)
Anna Santamans (France)
Marco Koch (Germany)
James Guy (Great Britain)
Adam Peaty (Great Britain)
Katinka Hosszu (Hungary)
Luca Dotto (Italy)
Kosuke Hagino (Japan)
Femke Heemskerk (The Netherlands)
Ranomi Kromowidjojo (The Netherlands)
Kira Toussaint (The Netherlands)
Sharon van Rouwendaal (The Netherlands)
Ferry Weertman (The Netherlands)
Michelle Coleman (Sweden)
Jennie Johansson (Sweden)
Sarah Sjostrom (Sweden)
Cameron van der Burgh (South Africa)
Conor Dwyer (USA)
Katie Meili (USA)
Lia Neal (USA)

To learn more about the Global Association of Professional Swimmers, visit their website here.

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