Swimmer's Daily

  • See press release from FINA

    FINA is very pleased to announce the adoption by UNESCO – the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation – of the revised version of the “International Charter of Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport”. Originally adopted in 1978, the document’s main objective was to declare that “the practice of physical education and sport is a fundamental right for all”. On its point 2.2., the Charter also clearly specifies that “the ability to swim is a vital skill for every person”. The recent approval of this document occurred during UNESCO 38th General Conference, organised in Paris (FRA) from November 3-18, 2015.

    After receiving support and feedback from governmental authorities, sport organisations, academic researchers and experts from the civil society, the revised Charter considers “sport as catalyst for peace and development” and highlights the importance of strategies aimed at “preserving the integrity of sport and favouring grassroots activities”. Throughout its 12 articles, this document also recognises physical education as a “driver for promoting gender equality, social inclusion, non-discrimination and sustained dialogue in our societies”.

    The FINA President Dr. Julio C. Maglione expressed his satisfaction with this decision: “I’ve been working for many years now on these matters – Sport for All – and the adoption of this revised Charter represents a great milestone in promotion of physical education in the five continents. FINA is also committed to this essential effort and has recently launched its ‘ Swimming for All, Swimming for Life’ programme, aimed at reducing the alarming rates of drowning worldwide by getting more and more children acquainted with the practice of Swimming”.

    Irina Bokova, UNESCO’s Director-General said: “The adoption of the revised Charter should mark a shift away from words towards action, from policy intent to implementation. It sets the tone for a new international sport policy debate, which should now focus on the exchange of good practice, education and training programmes, capacity development, and advocacy”.

    See also UNESCO

    Photo by brian.gratwicke

  • Just like any other elite athlete – Theresa shares some of the highs and lows of her career.

    Find out why she has kept swimming competitively 16 years, and how she remains positive and as focused as ever towards her goal.

    BP Paralympian Ambassador, swimmer Theresa Goh

  • It’s been a month since a cellphone with videos of students changing was found in the locker room of the women’s swimming and diving team at Towson University, and members of the team are upset that the university still hasn’t given them an explanation of the situation.

    https://youtu.be/ENjP8iRcwU4

  • Grant Hackett learnt something valuable about himself in rehab — and it changed everything.

    “I’m an intense perfectionist,” the three-time Olympic gold medalist tells WHO. “I can’t stand anything that’s not 100 per cent right. I would never allow myself to relax, always wanted intensity, always wanted to swim hard, go to the gym hard, run hard, do business hard. You have to offset it and I wasn’t offsetting it.”

    After he appeared half nude in the lobby of the Crown Melbourne hotel and casino on Feb. 22 last year while looking for his lost son Jagger, Hackett checked himself into a US rehabilitation facility to treat his addiction to the sleeping pill Stilnox.

    “It was the pressure of all that stuff over the years — emotional stress, missing the kids, financial stress,” says Hackett, who in 2011 went on an alcohol-fuelled rage inside his and wife Candice Alley’s Melbourne apartment (the pair later separated and divorced in 2013). “Sometimes you just have to hit rock bottom. It makes you realise where you want to go.”

    Read Who

  • Russia was among six countries declared “non-compliant” by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) today following a Foundation Board meeting in Colorado Springs, while six others were warned they face the same action next year if improvements are not made.

    Deeming the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) non-compliant was recommended last week by the WADA Indepedent Commission in its 323-page report which published allegations of systemic doping within Russian athletics, as well as the involvement of the FSB secret police in the testing programme.

    Today’s decision confirmed that recommendation.

    It followed WADA removing accreditation from the Russian anti-doping laboratory in Moscow.

    Russia’s sanction has been accompanied by similar verdicts against Argentina, Bolivia and Ukraine, each declared non-compliant for using non-accredited laboratories for their urine and blood sample analysis.

    Andorra and Israel were also suspended with immediate effect after it was deemed that they did not have sufficient anti-doping rules in place.

    Read Inside the Games

    https://youtu.be/TK4iLoWNQxc

  • Towson University pulls out from an upcoming swim meet amid anger over a recording device found in a locker room.

    The cell phone was discovered last month by members of the women’s swim team.

    At least 10 women were in the Burdick Hall locker room when a cell phone was discovered, allegedly recording the athletes during one of the most vulnerable times.

    While the university has not confirmed what is on the recording at least seven of the women claim their images were captured.

    See CBS Baltimore

  • Cameron Leslie, a quadruple amputee from New Zealand, talks about his athletic career in swimming and wheelchair rugby and about the values sports have brought to his life. Don’t miss his advice for anyone looking to get involved in sports!

  • Health and fitness writer Leslie Barker gives you some cool facts on swimmer Diana Nyad, before her book signing at Barnes & Noble on Thursday, November 19 at 7:00pm. She’ll be signing copies of “Find a Way” at the 7700 W Northwest Highway location in Dallas. Nyad is best known for her record-breaking swim from Cuba to Florida at the age of 64- after four failed attempts.

    Fast facts on swimmer Diana Nyad

  • The 8th ASEAN Para Games will be held here from Dec 3-9, with some 1,500 athletes from 11 countries competing for honours.
    As Team Singapore readies for the battle on home ground, TODAY takes a closer look at some of the 15 sports that will be contested, and the inspirational stories behind the local athletes participating in them.

    WATCH: Swimmer Yip Pin Xiu on the upcoming ASEAN Para Games