Final online registrations are being invited for the “Waves of Change” Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Integrity (DEI & I) Conference, which will take place alongside the European Aquatics Congress 2026 in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku from October 8 to 10.
The Conference will be held on Friday, October 9, from 9:00 to 12:30, bringing together experts from national federations and international guests to explore diversity, equity, inclusion and integrity in both aquatics and sport as a whole.
Registration for the Conference – which is mandatory – is now open via the European Aquatics Academy platform, with the registration period running from September 16 to October 7.
Information and registration details have already been shared with national federations.
Additional registrations are also open to anyone interested in attending, which can also be done via the European Aquatics Academy platform. Please see the link below.
The Conference will focus on practical approaches, inspiring examples and solutions to help Federations strengthen DEI & I across their organisations and activities. International speakers will share their knowledge, experience and practical advice, while selected European Aquatics Federations will present initiatives and good practice from their own experiences.
All present in person or online will be welcomed by European Aquatics President Antonio Silva, EA DEI & I Committee chair Sarah Keane, EA general secretary Noam Zwi, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Youth and Sports Farid Gayibov and Mayor of Baku Eldar Azizov.
The first of the morning sessions – Case studies/showcases involving practical implementation of DEI & I – will be presented by Jakub Teserak of Czech Swimming, EA vice president Christer Magnusson on behalf of Sweden Aquatics, Julio Cenizo from the Royal Spanish Swimming Federation and Karen Webb Moss, chair of Aquatics GB.
A session on the subject of Safe and Inclusive Environments in Practice will then be presented by Kate Hills, head of safeguarding, ethics and youth development at Swim Ireland.
Kate will also be involved in the next session: Athletes Voices – a perspective on rights, identity and wellbeing, which will involve interviews moderated by EA Athletes Committee vice-chair Emma Garcia.
The two other figures involved in presenting this section will be Great Britain’s Ranjuo Tomblin, who won four artistic swimming golds at this year’s EA Championships in Paris, and Ireland’s former Olympic diver Oliver Dingley, the EA Athletes Committee secretary.
The last session in the Conference will be on the subject of Integrity, presented by sports lawyer Jose Ricardo Goncalves.
For further information, please contact silviacosta@europeanaquatics.org.
Click here to register for the Conference.
Mike Rowbottom for European Aquatics
