Hello European Aquatics family,
April has been a month of strong operational progress, strategic development, and preparation across all aquatic disciplines, as European Aquatics continues to support its National Federations and build momentum toward what is looking like an epic summer season!
So, without further ado, see more below...
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European Aquatics Championships Paris 2026 medals revealed with 100 days to go
The European Aquatics Championships Paris 2026 has reached the 100-day countdown milestone, marked by the official unveiling of its medals on 16 April. The event highlighted strong collaboration between European Aquatics and the French Swimming Federation. European Aquatics was represented at the press conference in Saint-Denis by its First Vice President, Croatia’s Josip Varvodic.
This edition will be particularly significant as the 38th staging of the championships 100 years after the first European Championships was held in Budapest. Paris previously hosted the competition in 1931.
Leading athletes, including Sarah Sjöström, Romane Lunel, Laure Manaudou and Camille Lacourt, attended the unveiling, reflecting both international excellence and strong home representation.
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Sarah Sjöström highlighted her positive experience competing in Paris and noted her strong return to competition following her maternity break, expressing enthusiasm about participating again this summer.
Romane Lunel emphasised that seeing the medals has strengthened motivation within the French team and reinforced the significance of competing at home.
The newly unveiled medals feature a distinctive and contemporary design, reflecting both the heritage of the championships and the modern identity of the Paris edition. Their presentation serves as a symbolic milestone in the lead-up to the competition and has provided added motivation for athletes preparing to compete this summer.
Scheduled from 31 July to 16 August 2026, the event marks an important legacy milestone, as it revisits a facility built for the 2024 Olympic Games, while setting a benchmark for future championships.
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EA Artistic Swimming Support Program launched to boost team entries on road to Paris 2026
European Aquatics has launched the AS Support Program 2026 to strengthen the development of artistic swimming team competitions across Europe, with a particular focus on increasing participation in team events.
The initiative addresses the current imbalance in the discipline, where many federations are active in solo and duet categories but fewer compete in team formats. By supporting the creation and sustainability of team structures, the programme aims to broaden engagement, enhance athlete development and build a lasting foundation for the sport.
Following a careful evaluation process based on criteria such as organisational commitment, international participation and athlete development capacity, three federations - Bulgaria, Portugal and Türkiye - were selected to receive financial support. This funding will assist them in preparing teams for the European Aquatics Championships in Paris this summer. At the same time, European Aquatics will also support Malta, Luxembourg, Slovenia, Croatia and Poland TBC with technical support, advice and mentoring.
Beyond immediate competition goals, this programme is designed to foster long-term growth by encouraging cohesive team environments that can nurture future generations of artistic swimmers and contribute to the continued expansion of the sport across Europe. |
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European Aquatics request delay on implementation of new AQUA bylaw on athlete participation
Following a meeting of the Bureau on 30 April 2026, it was agreed to request a delay of implementation of the recently approved AQUA bylaw concerning the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus in international aquatic competitions.
The request asks that the bylaw, which permits the return of these athletes to full participation across all aquatic disciplines, not be enacted by European Aquatics until 1 September 2026.
Until that date, athletes and teams from Russia and Belarus who have been approved under existing eligibility criteria will remain able to compete in European Aquatics competitions exclusively under the status of Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN).
Further aquatics news While the Open Water Swimming Cup – Leg 1 was unfortunately cancelled, work continues to ensure the quality and consistency of the series moving forward. The Special Olympics event did manage to take place in the pool, and the Masters competition also went ahead without a hitch the following day.
A major milestone this month has been the rollout of the new Event Works System, now fully open for all Junior events. This marks an important step in the digitalisation of event management across European Aquatics. To support implementation, the EA Office hosted a dedicated online briefing session for National Federations, ensuring a smooth transition and providing hands-on guidance. Click here to watch the video. Preparations for upcoming championships are well underway: · Lists of approved officials for the European Aquatics Championships in Paris and the Junior Swimming, Diving, and Artistic Swimming Championships are being finalised and distributed. · Remaining appointments will be shared soon to ensure full readiness across all events. · Information Bulletin 2 for the Youth Artistic Swimming Championships & COMEN Cup 2026 has been published, providing key operational details to participating federations.
Looking ahead: · The Diving Development Camp in Rzeszów (Poland) from 6–12 July 2026 will bring together emerging talent in a high-performance environment. The official Information Bulletin will be released shortly.
· Planning is also underway for the Artistic Swimming Development Camp scheduled for October, reinforcing EA’s commitment to athlete and coach development pathways.
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Following a brief pause in the first part of April due to the World Aquatics World Cup, European club competitions are set to resume with renewed intensity.
The coming weeks will be decisive across all major competitions: · The Conference Cup Men Final 4 will take place in Athens on 2–3 May, launching an exciting month of elite water polo. · Throughout May, semi-finals of the Euro Cup (Men & Women) and key Champions League quarter-final group stage matches will determine the line-up for the highly anticipated Final 4 tournaments.
Behind the scenes, significant work has been carried out to prepare this dense competition calendar, alongside key development initiatives: · Organisation of a Water Polo Development Camp is progressing, aimed at nurturing the next generation of athletes. · Expanded education programmes for coaches are also in development, reinforcing EA’s long-term investment in technical excellence. |
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Water polo officials news
· The EA Water Polo Referees School 2026 will gather 20 referees from 10 countries, reflecting strong international engagement. The online phase is on 6 June 2026 with ther final evaluation phase taking place in Istanbul on 25–28 June 2026.
· In collaboration with ERIC Sports, European Aquatics is advancing the integration of video analysis tools. This initiative aims to provide clubs with enhanced performance analysis capabilities as early as next season, marking an important step in ongoing digital transformation of water polo. |
Education and European Aquatics Academy |
Research project highlights unique challenge of protecting open water swimmers
The urgent issue of open water swimmers suffering from hypothermia (the body being too cold) or hyperthermia (the body being too hot) has been addressed in a research project at Loughborough University in partnership with the European Aquatics through the medical committee.
Data gained at EA competitions between 2023 and 2025 has shown that athletes can suffer from hypothermia or hyperthermia within the same race, and with the same water temperature.
This highlights the unique challenge that swimmers and race medical and event teams face in protecting the health and performance of swimmers. The findings demonstrate that swimmers should adopt preparation and mitigation strategies such as acclimation/acclimatisation to best protect their health and performance.
Meanwhile competition venues should be prepared to treat cold-related and heat-related health issues within the same race.
While much research has already been conducted to mitigate against the impact of high and low temperatures on athletes in land-based sports there has been a lack of information about its effect in swimming, where submersion in water can be relatively severe in terms of heat gain or loss.
The project was led by Loughborough University PhD researcher Kate Markey under the supervision of Dr Lee Taylor.
Core temperature data was collected using an ingestible telemetric thermometer capsule from four legs of the European Aquatics Open Water Swimming Cups from 2023-25 and the 2023 European Aquatics Junior Open Water Swimming Championships, totalling 60 performances across the project.
The research team are committed to continuing their partnership with European Aquatics and further characterising elite open water swimmer’s core temperature responses in diverse water temperatures (particularly as rising ocean temperatures and global warming remain a threat to swimmer health), to inform health and performance optimisation strategies for open water swimming.
The team has placed on record its gratitude to all of the swimmers who participated in the research, without whom the project would not have been possible. |
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EPAM and INEFC awarded 2026 grants through EA Innovation Hub for water polo and artistic swimming research
Two research projects – one undertaken by EPAM in Hungary, one being conducted by the National Institute of Physical Education of Catalonia (INEFC) in Barcelona – have been awarded major grants for 2026 through the European Aquatic Innovation Hub. The first project – Water Polo Digital Development Transformation using Data and Sensors – is being undertaken by European Aquatics’ commercial partner EPAM, a global leader in digital engineering, cloud and AI-enabled transformation services.
The initiative proposes a pioneering method of transforming water polo by integrating advanced sensor technology – to be located on players’ headgear and the within the ball itself – and real-time data analytics.
The long-term goal is to digitise water polo to support coaches, teams, and federation decision-making with actionable insights, improving performance management and match analysis.
EPAM, which has its headquarters in Budapest, will be funded by 2026 Aquatics Research Grants 2026, which relate to more conceptual phases of system development, and also by 2026 Products and Processes in Sports Technology Grants, which aid phases related to the testing and implementation of systems.
The INEFC project – Monitoring Cardiac Responses and Adaptations to Apnea in Artistic Swimming – will receive a 2026 Aquatics Research Grant.
INEFC signed a four-year Memorandum of Understanding with European Aquatics last February, and high on the immediate agenda was joint work on developing the “apnea project” within artistic swimming, which concentrates on breathing irregularities that can occur when athletes compete with their head below the level of their hips.
The aim of this tranche of work will be to elucidate the acute cardiovascular responses to apnea in female artistic swimmers, generating high-quality evidence to optimise performance while ensuring athlete health and safety.
Other applications for 2026 grants are under review. |
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Other Education News
Education and knowledge-sharing remain at the heart of EA’s mission, with strong participation across all disciplines:
Diving · The Level 2 Diving Officials Course is underway, combining online learning (from 13 April) with practical application at the Bergen event (1–3 May).
Artistic Swimming · The Masters Judges Course has attracted 88 participants, demonstrating growing engagement and demand for high-level officiating education.
Open Water Swimming · The Level 1 Open Water Swimming Officials Course continues to be available fully online, offering flexible, on-demand learning through the EA Academy platform.
Swimming The Level 1 Swimming Officials Course will take place in Malta from 26–28 June 2026.
This marks the second edition of the Level 1 Swimming Coaches’ Course. A total of 24 coaches in Malta are currently enrolled in the programme, which consists of 70.5 hours of training. The course combines online learning with in-person sessions delivered in Malta.
Upon successful completion, participants will receive certification valid for a period of two years.
Looking Ahead
May will bring continued activity across multiple fronts: · Delivery of Coach Clinics during major EA events · Launch of the Innovation Hub, kicking off new development projects · Final preparations for Coach Courses – Level 1, further strengthening the coaching pathway across Europe |
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Athlete Media Training
Supporting athletes beyond competition remains a priority. On 1 May, the European Aquatics Media Team, together with the Athletes Committee, hosted the first Athlete Media Training session (online).
This initiative is designed to equip athletes with essential communication skills, helping them navigate media interactions and build their personal profiles.
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Aquatics Social Responsibility |
AquaSafe Kids Erasmus Project Partners Meeting held
A discussion was held on 9 April focusing on the current status of the project and next steps for each work package.
Female in Aquatics Network – Newsletter
To be shared via email with registered participants (41 women registered to date). This initiative is open to women aged 18 and over who are members of a National Federation, part of European Aquatics, or who have been involved in aquatics at any time within the past 10 years and are interested in leadership. The Network, which was launched on International Women's Day, aims to support women in developing their leadership skills through regular updates, webinars, and access to learning resources launching in 2026. Please complete the form below to register your interest and become part of this growing community: https://forms.gle/9BxJX2LH3dAUg5SPA
Coming up in May:
Athlete Welfare in Sport Conference 2026 – "Protecting our Athletes"
Dublin (IRL)
Friday 8 May 2026, 10:00 – 18:30 | CEST |
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Treasurer represents European Aquatics at high-level SIGA Europe debates on the future of sport
Andida Bouma, Treasurer of European Aquatics, recently took part in a high-level gathering of sports leaders, policymakers and governance experts at the SIGA Europe Cycle of Debates on the Future of Sport in Europe, held in Lisbon on 14 April.
The event was hosted by PwC Portugal at the Palacio Sotto Mayor and brought together key stakeholders from a cross-section of the European sporting industry to examine the governance, regulatory and economic challenges shaping the future of sport. SIGA Europe positioned the event as a platform to strengthen collaboration and advance integrity, transparency and accountability across the sector.
Bouma was one of four panellists in the first of what were four debating sessions, which was titled: “The European Sports Model: Governance, Competition and Economic Sustainability in an Era of Global Disruption.” The discussion addressed increasing pressures on traditional sporting structures, including the impact of shifting investment models, evolving media landscapes and both the new and ongoing tensions around competition formats and regulation.
Speaking alongside some of the highest-level figures in sport on the continent, Bouma contributed the perspective of aquatics on the European Sports Model, reinforcing the importance of both public and private sector investing in the sporting structure, to ensure sporting access for all within an increasingly complex and changing scene.
The session explored how governing bodies can respond to external disruption without compromising core values such as sporting merit, transparency, and inclusion. European Aquatics’ presence at the forum underlines its ongoing commitment to contributing to the wider governance conversation in international sport. |
Other ASR updates
A new collaboration with the Flemish Swimming Federation (Zwemfed) marks another step in strengthening partnerships across Europe following the launch of a collaboration to support families across Europe in water familiarisation and early swimming education. Zwemfed’s booklet, “Making a splash towards water fun!”, will be translated and distributed by European Aquatics to national swimming federations, recognising the Flemish approach as a European best practice but will also integrate the booklet into its European Toolkit, a resource supporting federations in developing safe, high-quality learn-to-swim pathways.
European Aquatics continues to advance its inclusive vision, with Para Aquatics integration into the Masters Championships 2026, promoting broader participation and accessibility in aquatic sport.
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April has also seen key developments at the institutional level: A cooperation agreement was signed between President Antonio Silva and the European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport Glen Micallef. with the European Commission, reinforcing European Aquatics’ alignment with broader European sport policies and funding opportunities. European Aquatics plans to promote Europe Day on 9 May as well as the European Week of Sport (EWOS), promoting sport and physical activity across Europea between 23-30 September. ADD SIGNING PHOTO USED IN SOCIAL.
External auditors are scheduled to visit the EA Office in May to finalise the 2025 audit, ensuring continued financial accountability and transparency.
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European Aquatics and Fluidra prepare to unveil major initiative for Europe’s pools and swimming access A new collaboration between European Aquatics and Fluidra is set to launch soon, aimed at transforming Europe’s pool landscape and expanding access to swimming education.
With thousands of public pools across the continent facing challenges around aging infrastructure, efficiency, and accessibility, the upcoming initiative will focus on addressing these critical issues through innovative and socially driven solutions.
Building on their existing collaboration in events and competition pools, the two organizations are preparing to introduce a set of programs designed to modernize facilities and bring swimming opportunities to communities that currently lack access.
Among the planned initiatives are a refurbishment-focused program to support aquatic facilities in improving safety, sustainability, and performance, as well as a mobile “Learn to Swim” concept intended to reach underserved regions with flexible, transportable pool solutions.
More details on the scope, rollout, and opportunities to get involved will be announced shortly, so stay tuned. |
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European Aquatics welcomes Nikola Bozovic
European Aquatics is delighted to welcome Nikola Božović, who has joined our team as Sport Assistant Water Polo.
From Serbia, Nikola brings a distinctive combination of administrative ambition and elite sporting experience. Having spent many years competing in professional basketball across Europe, he has developed a deep understanding of high‑performance environments, team culture, and the operational demands of modern sport.
This background gives him a valuable perspective that will strengthen our work within the water polo discipline.
In his new role, Nikola will support the coordination, delivery, and daily operations of water polo activities, working closely with colleagues, event organisers, and stakeholders across Europe.
We are very pleased to have Nikola on board and look forward to the energy, insight, and commitment he will bring to the team. |
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