World Aquatics is reviewing a coverage for the participation of athletes from nations concerned in world battle. The coverage was launched “in response to the assorted wars, hostilities and different conflicts worldwide [termed “conflict” in the proposal] with the goals of guaranteeing the integrity and safety of sporting competitions and the general respect for Athletes, World Aquatics and Olympic ideas and values.”
The proposed coverage impacts any athlete from a “nation in battle”—which is set solely by the World Aquatics Government—who needs to take part in any World Aquatics occasion. Together with athletes, help personnel, occasion hosts and organizers are additionally topic to the factors specified by the proposal, which locations a ban on holding occasions in states decided to be “nations in battle.”
The doc doesn’t seem to differentiate between aggressor or in any other case in its definition of a nation in battle.
The proposal cites the World Aquatics Structure clauses 8.8 and 17.1 as two clauses that present the idea for the group’s capability to create the coverage. Whereas 17.1 is a 26-point clause that outlines the rights and duties of the World Aquatics Bureau, clause 8.8 of the Structure reads:
“In instances of acts of terrorism, riots, civil unrest, strike, nuclear or chemical contamination, epidemic and different comparable circumstances in addition to within the occasion of involvement of a Member’s authorities in a struggle or different comparable conditions, the Bureau shall have the facility to take applicable measures, aiming at preserving the secure, peaceable and common conduct of World Aquatics competitions and occasions. The measure might embody the suspension or expulsion of a Member, different sanctions in addition to applicable protecting measures.”
The proposed coverage carefully displays the laws already in place for Russian and Belarusian athletes, who World Aquatics, then known as FINA, banned in March 2022, permitting World Aquatics to broaden the prevailing laws to nations concerned in different conflicts worldwide.
Athletes and Assist Personnel
Topic to the coverage, athletes and their help personnel might solely take part in World Aquatics occasions if they don’t have a “direct contractual relationship with any nationwide safety companies or navy related to any authorities of a nation in battle” and haven’t expressed help for any conflicts verbally, non-verbally, or in writing. The clause lists “specifically public statements, together with these made in social media, participation in pro-conflict or pro-war demonstrations or occasions, and the sporting of any image in help for any kinds of political conflicts or struggle” as exhibiting help for a battle.
These athletes and their help personnel might submit functions for impartial athlete standing and “shall solely be entitled to take part in an Occasion after overview and affirmation by the AQUI” which is the Aquatics Integrity Unit. Athletes should even have achieved any qualifying time essential to attend the occasion outdoors the border of any nation concerned in a battle.
The coverage additionally states that any athlete from a nation in battle won’t be allowed to take part in water polo occasions, which “intrinsically entails inter alia bodily contact between athletes.”
Flags, Anthems, and Uniforms
The proposed coverage wouldn’t permit the flags of any nations engaged in battle to be raised or displayed on the competitors or any location below the occasion’s purview. The World Aquatics flag can be used throughout medal ceremonies or different conditions the place a flag is critical.
Equally, the anthem of any nation declared as a “nation in battle” by the World Aquatics Government can be banned and changed with the World Aquatics anthem.
This query was raised upfront of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Video games as followers questioned what would occur when impartial athletes made the rostrum. Whereas this didn’t happen on the Olympics, it occurred a number of instances on the Paralympic Video games. The Impartial Athletes additionally didn’t seem on the medal desk on the Paris 2024 web site.
Athletes from “nations in battle” authorized to compete as impartial athletes would additionally have to put on uniforms in “a single plain color and shall be submitted to World Aquatics for prior approval.” Athletes can be banned from displaying any distinctive nationwide image at any World Aquatics occasion.
Media Interactions and Personnel
The coverage would ban impartial athletes and help personnel from going via combined zones, taking part in press conferences, or giving any interview throughout a World Aquatics occasion.
No authorities or state officers from a nation in battle would obtain accreditation for a World Aquatics occasion and no technical officers from the nation can be appointed.
