Maryland athletic department officials have reached a compromise with the swimming and diving teams, giving them more time to raise the $11.57 million or 8 years of operating cost that the university requires in order to spare their program. Now the demand is a series of benchmarks toward the goal, starting with having to raise $1.4 million by April 1 and $2.8 million by June 30, rather than the original total of $11.57 by June 30, with the total amount now having to by raised by December 30, 2013. The fundraising campaign has reached about $1 million by now. Read The Washington Post via SwimmingWorld Magazine.

Who isn’t, you might say, but according to the Sowetan, South African swimming is so cash-strapped that some staff members have already started looking for jobs after being told about the federation’s dire need for funding. Service providers have not been paid for three months, but the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Com.ittee has pledged to help out, to ensure that the swimming federation can prepare thoroughly for the 2012 London Olympics.