Swimming Australia members asked to vote on new constitution that would give world body bigger say in governance

World Aquatics will have a greater say in the governance of Swimming Australia if constitution reforms proposed by the Australian body are approved by a member vote.

Kyle Chalmers wins gold in the Men's 100m Freestyle Final at the recent World Championships in Japan. Picture: Clive Rose/Getty Images

Swimming’s world governing body has been promised a bigger say in how Australia runs the sport as part of a new proposal to avert the threat of Swimming Australia being stripped of its global membership.

Facing the prospect of being banned by World Aquatics unless it undertakes major governance reform, Swimming Australia has finalised a draft version of the changes it wants to implement.

Members will be asked to vote at a Special General Meeting (SGM) next month on whether or not to accept the new 62-page constitution, which has been more than two years in the making.

The vote will take place on October 20.

Kyle Chalmers competing in the recent World Aquatics Championships in Japan. Picture: Yuichi YAMAZAKI / AFP

If the new constitution is not accepted, Swimming Australia could lose its membership of the sport’s global governing body, which has expressed its concern over the way the sport has been run in Australia, particularly the high turnover of executives.

World Aquatics sent two letters to Swimming Australia earlier this year warning they would step in unless changes were introduced, prompting a flurry of announcements about fast-tracking the proposed changes.

Susan Smith, who is currently serving as Swimming Australia’s interim President after Michelle Gallen recently left to take up a new job with the National Sports Tribunal, said she hoped the proposed reforms were passed.

“We are pleased to present our voting members with the new constitution ahead of next month’s SGM,” she said.

“The new constitution will modernise Swimming Australia’s governance standards and practices, and provide everyone involved with Swimming in Australia, from grassroots and community level, through to high-performance, with an enhanced experience, no matter their level of involvement.”

Husain Al-Musallam, president of World Aquatics.

SA said the new constitution had been endorsed by World Aquatics, the Australian Sports Commission and the board but still to be agreed to by members – some of whom have this masthead they will not support the changes, that include:

·Any Australian who is a member of the World Aquatics Bureau will be appointed as a director of the Swimming Australia Board with full voting rights.

·The creation of an Athletes’ Commission and the appointment of an Athlete Director position on the board, with full voting rights.

·Changes to the makeup of the board, with more appointed directors and less elected directors.

Increasing the overall number of members entitled to vote at general meetings from nine to at least 21, giving more recognition to grassroots.

·The addition of a new role of vice-president.

Australia’s swimmers have been assured they will not be banned from representing their country at next year’s Paris Olympics even if members refuse to accept the constitutional changes.

If the eligibility rules were strictly applied, the Australian Olympic Committee would not be able to pick swimmers for the Paris Olympics while SA was no longer aligned with the global body, but Olympic and swimming officials have told this masthead they won’t let that happen.

Originally published as Swimming Australia members asked to vote on new constitution that would give world body bigger say in governance