Proposed Provisions for the World Swimming Association (WSA)
Draft version: March 29, 2011Name
[FINA]: Federation Internationale de Natation (governing body for aquatic sports)
[WSA]: World Swimming Association (governing body for swimming and open water swimming)
Legal Status
[FINA]: Swiss association (Article 60ff of the Swiss Civil Code)
[WSA]: Wisconsin nonstock corporation (Chapter 181 of Wisconsin Statutes) [Note: Wisconsin is a State in the USA.]
Headquarters
[FINA]: Lausanne, Switzerland
[WSA]: Fort Lauderdale, USA
Select Definitions for the World Swimming Association
FINA Bureau/WSA Governing Board
[FINA]: All Bureau Members elected by the FINA Congress.
[WSA]: Will consist of 28 members/directors:
-The top three nations at the WSA Championships or Olympic Games will each have the right to nominate 3 members (at least one must be a coach and at least one must be an athlete; An athlete is defined as someone who has been ranked in the Top 150 in the World or competed at the Olympics or WSA Championships during the five years prior to being nominated to the Governing Board)
-The next seven nations (4th - 10th place) will each have the right to nominate 2 members (1 of these members must be either a coach or an athlete)
-The following five nations (11th-15th) will each have the right to nominate 1 member (this member must be either a coach or an athlete).
WSA Nomination Process:
-To the extent a country is nominating a coach or an athlete and that country has a national coaches group or athletes union, the coaches group and the athletes union will be responsible for nominating the coach or the athlete, respectively.
-All non-coach and non-athlete representatives will be selected by the national governing body.
-To the extent a country may only nominate one person and that country has both a coaches group and an athletes union, the coaches group, the two groups will work together to select a nominee. If the groups are not able to come to an agreement, the national governing body will choose the nominee.
-To the extent a country may nominate either a coach or an athlete and that country only has a coaches union, that country shall select a coach. Similarly, if the country only has an athlete's union and not a coaches group, that country shall nominate an athlete.
-The initial WSA Board will be created by the World Swimming Coaches Association.
Executive Committee
[FINA]: Consists of the FINA President, the FINA Honorary Secretary and the FINA Honorary Treasurer.
[WSA]: Consists of the WSA President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Immediate Past President (to the extent the Immediate Past President remains on the Governing Board). At least one member shall be a coach and at least one member shall be an athlete.
Language
[FINA]: Official languages shall be English and French. The working language shall be English.
[WSA]: English
Membership
[FINA]: The national body governing Swimming, Open Water Swimming, Diving, Water Polo, Synchronised Swimming, and Masters in any country or Sport Country shall be eligible for membership in FINA.
[WSA]: The following of each of the top 15 nations at each Olympics or WSA Championships, as the case may be, will be members of WSA: (1) a national body organizing Swimming and Open Water Swimming, (2) a national swim coaches' association, (3) a national athletes' union. Any athlete, coach or official named on an entry form for a WSA competition will be considered a member for purposes of that competition only.
Termination of Membership
[FINA]: (1) the member no longer exists, (2) the member withdraws its affiliation, or (3) the member is expelled.
[WSA]: (1) cheating, (2) dishonesty, (3) fraud, and (4) voluntary withdrawal.
Fees
[FINA]: Each member must pay an annual affiliation fee.
[WSA]: There shall be annual fees as determined by the Governing Board from time to time.
Sanctions
Reasons for sanction
[FINA]: A member may be sanctioned if: (1) duties and obligations to FINA are not fulfilled; (2) violation of the Constitution, Rules and/or decision of the Congresses; (3) bringing the sport into disrepute.
[WSA]: A member may be sanctioned for: (1) cheating, (2) dishonesty, and (c) fraud.
Types of sanctions
[FINA]: Sanctions are: (a) warning, (b) fine, (c) suspension, and (d) expulsion.
[WSA]: Sanctions are: (a) warning, (b) fine, (c) suspension, (d) expulsion, and (e) denial of participation in event.
Who Imposes Sanctions
[FINA]: FINA Executive Committee
[WSA]: A specific committee depending on the reason for the sanction may impose the sanction (i.e. Doping Committee).
Appeals
[FINA]: Appeals shall be submitted by the appealing party to the FINA Office within twenty-one (21) days from the date of receipt of the decision.
[WSA]: Appeals shall be submitted to the Executive Committee.
