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Hello European Aquatics family,
I encourage you to dive into this edition of our newsletter, which celebrates the achievements of European Aquatics in 2025 and outlines the path ahead as we continue to enhance aquatic sports across Europe. Your continued support and engagement are vital to our success, and I look forward to embarking on this journey together.
As we approach the end of another year at European Aquatics let’s reflect on the significant progress we have made and how this fits into our strategic vision for the period 2024–2030.
At the heart of our initiatives is sport itself. European Aquatics, together with our National Federations, has delivered outstanding competitions. It is important to underline the crucial collaboration between European Aquatics and our local organising committees, which enables us to host events that not only give athletes the opportunity to compete, but also play a major role in promoting our sport through media coverage and broadcasters.
For European Aquatics, sport and our athletes always come first. I would therefore like to thank all the hosts who committed to organising events in 2025. These hosts come from across our continent, and I extend my sincere thanks to Antalya, Türkiye (Senior Diving); Stari Grad, Croatia (Senior Open Water Swimming); Funchal, Portugal (Senior Artistic Swimming); Šamorín, Slovakia (U23 Swimming); and Lublin, Poland (Swimming Short Course and Masters Swimming Short Course).
I would also like to congratulate the organisers of all our age-group competitions: Setúbal, Portugal, for Junior Open Water Swimming; Šamorín, once again, for Junior Swimming; and Athens, Greece, which deserves special recognition for the simultaneous organisation of the Junior Artistic Swimming and Junior Diving Championships.
In Water Polo, we enjoyed fantastic age-group tournaments for U16 and U18 athletes in Istanbul, Türkiye; Ljubljana, Slovenia; Oradea, Romania; Rio Maior, Portugal; and Gżira, Malta. All credit also goes to the organisers of our water polo club competitions, which are the envy of the world and now include the Challenger Cup, Conference Cup, Euro Cup, and Champions League. The Men’s and Women’s competitions culminated in Final Four events held in Malta and Athens, respectively.
I would also like to warmly thank the organisers of our five Open Water Cups, which took place in Protaras, Cyprus; Setúbal, Portugal; Paris, France; Barcelona, Spain; and Ražanac, Croatia. In addition, we held a successful edition of our DEII Conference and European Aquatics Congress in Tbilisi, Georgia—allowing us to proudly fly the European Aquatics flag from the furthest west to the furthest east of our continent.
But 2025 also saw us focus strongly on enhancing education programmes and fostering aquatic excellence across Europe. Through this strategic framework, we are committed to elevating our athletes, coaches, and officials by promoting best practices, innovation, and sustainability within the aquatic sports community.
In line with these goals, the first year of our European Aquatics Platform served as a vital space for collaboration and information exchange among various stakeholders. This platform enriches our community’s knowledge and facilitates the sharing of resources and expertise, fostering a more integrated aquatic ecosystem. More than 20,000 people—including officials, coaches, athletes, and National Federation managers—participated in these educational programmes.
Moreover, we were able to reinforce our commitments to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Integrity (DEII) through numerous activities, most notably the DEII Conference, where we explored ways to make our sports more accessible and inclusive for everyone. Special thanks to Special Olympics Euro Asia and World Para Swimming for their progressive cooperation to a unified concept of aquatics. We firmly believe that diverse participation enriches our aquatic disciplines and strengthens our community. Additionally, we organised a series of engaging corporate events aimed at boosting networking and engagement opportunities within our sport.
This broad overview of our global activities was made possible only through the active collaboration of our officers, executive and Bureau members; the strong commitment of our technical and medical committees; the hard work of the European Aquatics staff; the cooperation of all 52 National Federations; and, of course, the invaluable support of our partners and sponsors.
Wishing you a joyful holiday season and a successful year ahead! Antonio Silva President of European Aquatics
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The European Aquatics Short Course Swimming Championships Lublin 2025, held from 2 to 7 December, concluded successfully, delivering a memorable week of high-level competition on Polish soil, with 46 countries represented by 531 athletes.. The host nation celebrated a strong showing with two gold medals, while the championships proved compelling on multiple sporting fronts.
Italy topped the medals table for the first time, securing nine gold, five silver and six bronze medals. The championships were marked by outstanding performances and record-breaking swims, including 1 World Record, 6 World Junior Records, 8 European records, 11 European Junior Records and 17 Championship Records.
After the success of EA Short course 2025, the Sport Department started a preliminary work for the 2027 edition.
The European Aquatics Short Course Swimming Championships Masters Lublin 2025 offered a powerful reminder of Masters swimming at its very best. Over five days of competition, 1452 athletes from 35 countries, representing 914 clubs, delivered elite-level performances, record-breaking swims and deeply human stories, combining passion, resilience and sporting excellence in every race. The event recorded an increase of 80% in registrations compared to the previous edition Funchal 2023.
As the year draws to a close, the European Aquatics 2025 Reviews of the Year are now available on the European Aquatics website. Explore the highlights of the season across the following disciplines: |
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Tickets are now on sale for the Women’s 2026 European Water Polo Championships, set to take place in Funchal, Madeira (Portugal) from 26 January to 5 February. Fans can secure their seats and be part of a premier continental event showcasing the very best of European women’s water polo. European women’s water polo enjoyed an exceptional 2025, with the continent underlining its strength on the global stage. European teams asserted their dominance across both major international competitions — the World Cup and the World Championships — signalling a notable shift in the competitive balance away from the long-established supremacy of the United States. Water Polo Technical Officials Update The Advanced Certification Course for water polo referees and delegates will be held on January 5, 2026. This course, as part of European Aquatics’ Education Programme, will be organised online through the EA Digital Education Platform.
The invited participants are referees and delegates appointed for the 2026 European Water Polo Championships for Men and Women in Belgrade (SRB) and Funchal (POR). In addition, invitations for participation have been sent to all referees ranked in the A+ and A categories for men and women on the EA Water Polo Referees List 2025/2026. The lecturers at the course will be: • Andy IM Hoepelman (EA DRC Chairman) • Stavroula Kozompoli (EA DRC Member, TWPC Secretary) • Angel Moliner (EA DRC Member) • Tamas Molnar (EA TWPC Vice-Chairman) • Dejan Perisic (EA Water Polo Technical Officials Manager)
All topics at the course are related to important points of the water polo rules and the quality improvement of referees and delegates.
It is important to underline that from January 15, 2026, the entire content of the course will be available to watch on demand on the EA Digital Education Platform.
The Advanced Certification Course for water polo referees and delegates is scheduled to take place on January 5, 2026. This course is a key component of the ongoing Action Plan and Education Programme and will be organised online via the EA Digital Education Platform.
Participants invited to this course include referees and delegates appointed to officiate at the 2026 Men’s and Women’s European Championships. In addition, all referees who are ranked in the A+ and A categories for both men and women on the EA Water Polo Referees List 2025/2026 are also invited to participate.
The course will be led by a distinguished panel of lecturers: • Andy IM Hoepelman, EA DRC Chairman • Stavroula Kozompoli, EA DRC Member and TWPC Secretary • Angel Moliner, EA DRC Member • Tamas Molnar, EA TWPC Vice-Chairman and TWPC Chairman • Dejan Perisic, EA Water Polo Technical Officials Manager
The content of the course will focus on key aspects of water polo rules and strategies for enhancing the quality and performance of referees and delegates.
Starting on January 15, 2026, the complete course content will be available to watch on demand through the EA Digital Education Platform.
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European Aquatics Academy |
The Strategic Coach Development Clinic, held on December 5th, during the European Aquatics Short Course Swimming Championships Lublin 2025, attracted 34 in-person participants and three online attendees, representing almost 20 countries.
Facilitated by Kim Dietrichsen, Head of Coaching at Aquatics Denmark, the clinic took place at Hotel Victoria in Lublin and featured a dedicated session exploring how trust, autonomy and a clearly defined coaching framework are helping shape the future success of Danish swimming.
In addition to swimming, the Diving Coaches Clinic took place in Rzeszow, Poland, from 15–17 December 2025, providing further education opportunities for diving coaches.
Looking ahead, preparatory meetings with key stakeholders for upcoming events and activities are scheduled for January 2026.
Also, the European Aquatics Swimming Clinic 2026 will be hosted in Sofia, Bulgaria, from 28 February to 1 March. Attendance at this key clinic is mandatory for all certified swimming officials wishing to participate in European Aquatics events during the 2026 season. Participation will be available both in person and online, with further details to be announced in due course.
On the officials’ side, an Advanced Certification Course for Water Polo Referees and Delegates (WPTO Officials) is currently available via the European Aquatics Academy platform, supporting the continued professional development of officials ahead of the 2025–2026 season.
Looking back at 2025, the European Aquatics Academy is proud to highlight the following achievements: Sixteen coaches’ upskilling clinics across all aquatic disciplines were delivered during European Aquatics Championships, attracting 921 participants. Coaches’ courses were introduced for the first time (Swimming – Level 0; Diving – Level 1), training 39 coaches. Seven officials’ upskilling clinics were delivered across all disciplines, reaching a total of 1,875 participants. Eight officials’ certification courses (Levels 1 and 2) were organised, qualifying 329 new officials. Three webinars—two for athletes and one for National Federations’ media teams—were delivered in cooperation with the European Aquatics Media Team, engaging 487 participants. In cooperation with Aquatics Social Responsibility (ASR), the Sport Transparency Index Training Package was disseminated among National Federation managers. Two major projects were approved: one by World Aquatics (coaches’ education; funding: €50,000) and one by the European Commission, as part of a consortium (learn-to-swim; target groups: coaches and athletes; funding: €250,000). Two National Federations commissioned the European Aquatics Academy to deliver tailored education solutions, including a national coaches’ education framework and Level 1 swimming coach training. One European Aquatics Research, Innovation and Development Grant was approved to support a project in Open Water Swimming. Two laboratories and six training centres were accredited in 2025 under the European Aquatics Sport Science & High-Performance Centres and Training Centres accreditation programme. Twenty-one National Federations submitted accreditation applications under the European Aquatics Coaches’ Certification Process, based on Recognition of Prior Learning and Awards. The European Aquatics e-Learning Platform, launched on 10 January, recorded 22,522 unique users, 35,958 sessions, and engagement from 142 countries worldwide. The European Aquatics Innovation Hub was officially presented, inducted, and launched during a kick-off meeting in September 2025.
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Aquatics Social Responsibility
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Erasmus+ ASK Project: The AquaSafe Kids (ASK) project has been approved under Erasmus+, with a budget of €400,000. The project aims to promote health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) and increase participation in sport by integrating structured, high-quality swimming education into school curricula across Europe. It directly supports the Erasmus+ priority of encouraging healthy lifestyles by ensuring that children take part in regular physical activity through swimming. This helps build lifelong fitness habits and reduces sedentary behaviour.
Partners: Aquatic Sports Association of Malta (Coordinator); Croatian Swimming Federation (Croatia); Eesti Ujumisliit (Estonia); Sveučilište u Zagrebu (Croatia); Österreichischer Schwimmverband (Austria); Sport Malta; Magyar Úszó Szövetség (Hungary); Georgian Aquatic Sports National Federation; European Aquatics; Bulgarska Federatsiya Pluvni Sportove (Bulgaria).
ASR Sustainability Certification: Certification was completed for 13 pioneer organisers of European Aquatics events in 2025, introducing ASR environmental initiatives. The ASR Sustainability and Legacy Programme was implemented with a focus on five key priorities: Green Task Force; Sustainable Fun Zone; Elimination of Plastic; Waste Management; and Solidarity Ticketing. The participating events in 2025 were: EA Diving Championships (Antalya, May 22–28); EA Champions League Men Final Four (Gzira, May 26–June 1); EA Artistic Swimming Championships (Funchal, June 2–5); EA Junior Open Water Swimming Championships (Setúbal, June 19–21); EA Open Water Swimming Cup Leg 2 (Setúbal, June 22); EA Water Polo Championship U16 Women (Istanbul, June 27–July 3); EA Water Polo Championship U16 Men Division Elite (Istanbul, July 7–13); EA Water Polo Championship U16 Men Division 1 (Ljubljana, July 7–13); EA Open Water Swimming Cup Leg 3 (Paris, July 25); EA Water Polo Championship U18 Men Division Elite (Oradea, August 18–24); EA Water Polo Championship U18 Men Division 1 (Rio Maior, August 18–24); EA Open Water Swimming Cup Leg 4 (Barcelona, September 20); EA Short Course Swimming Championships (Lublin, December 2–7).
Swim Safe Europe: Swim Safe Europe is a European Aquatics initiative dedicated to improving water safety and swimming competence across Europe. Rebranded from “Learn to Swim,” it focuses on children aged 3–12 and aims to prevent drowning through a standardized, accessible, and inclusive framework. The initiative encourages community involvement and the development of safer aquatic environments.
Fourteen countries have already been certified by European Aquatics: Estonian Swimming Federation; Norwegian Swimming Federation; Kosovo Swimming Federation; Aquatic Sports Association of Malta; Georgian Aquatic Sports National Federation; Scottish Swimming (Aquatics GB); Sweden Aquatics; Vlaamse Zwemfederatie; LTU Aquatics; Swim England; Ukrainian Swimming Federation; Fédération Française de Natation; Royal Spanish Swimming Federation (RFEN); Swiss Aquatics.
DEII (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Integrity) 1. The Waves of Change Forum which took place in Tbilisi concluded with an awards ceremony, during which 34 national federations were officially recognised for signing the DEII Statement. 2. MoU with Special Olympics: European Aquatics and Special Olympics Europe Eurasia (SOEE) signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding on July 4, aimed at expanding opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities in swimming and aquatic sports. As part of this cooperation, a Special Olympics 800m competition was included in the European Aquatics Open Water Swimming Cup Leg 4 in Barcelona, with 27 athletes from 9 countries participating. 3. Para-Swimming: Discussions are currently ongoing regarding future cooperation between European Aquatics and Para Swimming.
Sport-T Index: European Aquatics supported and promoted the Sport-T Index by delivering confidential reports and tailored improvement recommendations to all national federations. Federations were encouraged to participate in free training courses to enhance transparency and integrity within their organisations under the Sport-T Index (January 2025). The Final Conference took place on June 18, 2025, in Brussels, featuring a panel moderated by President Antonio Silva and presentations from four national federations invited by European Aquatics: Kosovo Swimming Federation (Kosovo), Faroe Islands Aquatics Federation (Faroe Islands), Royal Belgian Swimming Federation (Belgium), and Fédération Luxembourgeoise de Natation et de Sauvetage (Luxembourg).
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European Aquatics is pleased to announce the nominees for the 2025 Athlete of the Year Awards, recognising athletes who have distinguished themselves across world and European competitions throughout the season. Each category features five nominees, highlighting the exceptional depth of talent across the continent’s aquatics disciplines. Voting remains open until 31 December. |
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European delegation visits Belarus to discuss reintegration into European Aquatics European Aquatics President Antonio Silva visited Belarus on 28–29 November, leading a delegation that included Vice President Erkan Yalcin, President of the Georgian Aquatics Sports Federation Aleksandre Nikolaishvili and Vice President Alexander Bitadze.
During the two-day visit, the delegation held a series of meetings focused on the integration of Belarus into European aquatics activities. This included discussions with Kseniya Sankovich, Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Belarus, and Sergey Kovalchuk, Minister of Sport and Tourism, followed by meetings with representatives of aquatic sport federations at the International Standard Swimming Pool facilities. |
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End of Year meeting for EA staff to prepare for 2026 European Aquatics staff and Officers gathered in Belgrade from 15-18th December for the traditional End of Year meeting. This gave the leadership team the chance to discuss and review organisational performance in 2025 and discussing strategic priorities and plans for 2026 with each of the departments of European Aquatics. |
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