The European Aquatics Bureau met in Paris on 9 August during the European Aquatics Championships to review a wide range of sporting, financial and strategic matters and approve several proposals supporting the ongoing development of aquatic sport across Europe.
The meeting was opened by French Swimming Federation (FFN) President and European Aquatics Bureau member Gilles Sezionale, who welcomed Bureau members to Paris. Bureau members congratulated President Sezionale, the FFN and the entire organising team on the impressive collaborative effort behind the Championships, which has brought together seven national and local public authorities: the French State, Métropole du Grand Paris, Région Île-de-France, Département de la Seine-Saint-Denis, Plaine Commune, Ville de Saint-Denis and Ville de Paris who contributed a combined €8 million towards the staging of the event. The Bureau recognised this exceptional level of cooperation as a powerful example of the partnerships required to deliver a major sport event.
The Bureau welcomed the successful delivery of European Aquatics Championships across the continent in recent weeks and the excellent start to the European Aquatics Championships in Paris. Following high-quality artistic swimming and diving competitions at the Olympic Aquatics Centre in Saint-Denis, attention moved to the heart of Paris, where open water swimming and high diving provided a spectacular showcase on the River Seine. With the Eiffel Tower providing a unique backdrop, images of athletes competing in one of the world’s most recognisable settings attracted significant international media attention and provided a powerful showcase for European aquatics and its athletes.
The Bureau approved the 2025 financial accounts and received updates on the Paris 2026 European Aquatics Championships, the 2026 Junior Championships, preparations for the European Aquatics Masters Championships, the future headquarters and the upcoming General Assembly and Conference in Baku.
Among other strategic decisions, the Bureau supported plans to establish Regional Education Clusters to strengthen coach and officials’ education and approved the development of a more structured staff support programme for Member Federations.
The Bureau also discussed various hosting models for future editions of the European Aquatics Championships, including the possibility of distributing disciplines across different European locations.
There was also a lengthy discussion about the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in European Aquatics competitions. European Aquatics remains committed to complying with World Aquatics regulations, while recognising that in some European countries national authorities continue to impose conditions requiring Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate as neutrals, outside the control of European Aquatics and event organisers.
Against a continually evolving geopolitical background, the Bureau agreed that further dialogue is required to identify practical solutions that can reconcile these different requirements. European Aquatics will consult its Athletes’ Committee and continue discussions with World Aquatics and relevant stakeholders with the objective of finding workable solutions that protect athletes, Member Federations and the ability to organise European Aquatics competitions across the continent.
The Bureau also approved proposed changes concerning the composition, independence and responsibilities of the European Aquatics Audit Committee, which will be submitted through the appropriate governance process.
