Hello European Aquatics family,
May 2026 has been another active month for European Aquatics, marked by continued preparations for major championships, important developments in athlete welfare and inclusion, growing engagement with Member Federations across Europe, and an exciting period for club water polo competitions.
This edition highlights operational updates ahead of the European Aquatics Championships in Paris 2026, preparations for upcoming junior and youth events, developments in Masters and Para aquatics, and key educational activities planned for June. We also reflect on European Aquatics’ participation in Europe Day celebrations, international cooperation initiatives, and recent institutional visits to Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova.
Looking ahead, June will bring several major water polo finals, age-group championships, educational clinics, and more key moments in European Aquatics’ development programme.
So, without further ado, see more below... |
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Preparations Continue for Paris 2026 European Aquatics Championships Operational preparations for this summer’s European Aquatics Championships in Paris continue to progress positively. During May, European Aquatics worked closely with the Local Organising Committee and Technical Committees through a series of productive coordination meetings focused on competition delivery, logistics, athlete services, venue readiness and event operations.
An important milestone was also reached with the continued implementation and opening phases of the Event Management System, which will support accreditation, entries, scheduling and operational coordination throughout the Championships period. Strong Progress Ahead of June Age-Group Championships.
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Preparations for June’s age-group events are progressing smoothly across all host locations Particular focus continues on the European Aquatics Youth Artistic Swimming Championships and COMEN competitions in Luxembourg, as well as the Junior Diving Championships in Budapest. Coordination with organising committees, technical officials and participating federations has continued throughout May to ensure high-quality competition environments and effective operational planning.
196 athletes from 28 nations will be taking part in the Luxembourg competition, which runs from 4 - 7 June 2026.
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Support Measures Following Cancellation of Open Water Event in Cyprus Following the cancellation of the European Aquatics Open Water event originally scheduled for 18 April 2026 in Protaras, Cyprus, European Aquatics has completed financial compensation measures for affected athletes.
Details regarding the compensation process and applicable support measures have already been communicated directly to National Federations. |
Masters Tour Rankings Published After Opening Leg The European Aquatics Masters Tour season is now underway, with rankings following Leg 1 officially published on the European Aquatics website.
The Masters Tour continues to grow in popularity across Europe, providing competitive opportunities for athletes of all ages while promoting lifelong participation in aquatic sports.
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Registration Continues for European Aquatics Masters Championships 2026 Registration remains open for the European Aquatics Masters Championships 2026, which will take place from 18–30 August across Slovakia and Austria.
The Championships will unite five aquatic disciplines across three cities and represents one of the most ambitious Masters projects ever delivered by European Aquatics. The event has been specifically designed around the needs of the Masters community and will also feature strong cooperation with Para sport and Special Olympics communities, reinforcing European Aquatics’ commitment to inclusion and accessibility.
Large numbers of athletes have already registered for what promises to be a landmark edition of the Championships.
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Athlete Welfare and Safeguarding at the Centre of European Conference in Dublin Leaders from across European sport gathered in Dublin, Ireland, on 8 May for the European Aquatics Athletes Conference 2026, where athlete welfare, safeguarding and governance reform were central themes throughout the event.
The conference brought together sports leaders, safeguarding experts, former athletes and policymakers to examine how athlete protection systems can be strengthened across all levels of sport.
European Aquatics President Antonio Silva described athlete welfare as “a core pillar” of European Aquatics’ governance and identity, reaffirming the organisation’s commitment to stronger safeguarding systems, education and international cooperation.
Participants heard contributions from safeguarding specialists, athlete representatives and European Commission officials covering topics including trauma-informed investigations, athlete rights, mental health, sustainable participation models and prevention of abuse in sport.
The conference also highlighted the Safe Harbour project, a European Commission-supported initiative designed to develop a unified safeguarding response framework across Europe by 2027.
The event reinforced European Aquatics’ long-term commitment to creating safer, more inclusive sporting environments for athletes throughout Europe. |
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European Aquatics Expands Commitment to Para Sports European Aquatics has taken another historic step in the development of inclusive aquatic sport through the approval of major new Para sport regulations and expanded integration across competitions and programmes.
A major milestone will come during the European Championships in Paris 2026, where Para swimming events will be included for the first time in the event’s history.
In addition, newly approved regulations now extend beyond Para swimming to include Para artistic swimming, Para open water swimming and Para water polo. The regulations were developed in cooperation with specialist organisations and stakeholders to ensure alignment with international standards.
European Aquatics continues to strengthen partnerships with organisations including the International Paralympic Committee, World Para Swimming and Special Olympics, supporting sustainable growth, classification development, education and broader participation pathways for athletes with disabilities.
The initiative forms part of European Aquatics’ wider strategic commitment to inclusion, accessibility and equal opportunity across all aquatic disciplines. |
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European Aquatics Celebrates Europe Day 2026 On 9 May, European Aquatics joined the “Sport Celebrates Europe Day” initiative in partnership with the European Commission, reaffirming the role of sport in promoting European unity, cooperation and shared values.
Member Federations across Europe participated in activities linked to Europe Day celebrations, including special activations during aquatic competitions and water polo matches throughout the 9–10 May weekend.
Activities included the display of European Union flags, the playing of the EU anthem, venue branding initiatives and athlete participation campaigns celebrating European solidarity and inclusion.
European Aquatics also launched the “Pass the Wave” social media initiative, encouraging athletes from different federations to share personal stories demonstrating friendship, cooperation and inclusion through sport under the message “United by Water.”
The initiative reflected the strong role aquatic sports continue to play in connecting communities and promoting European values across borders. |
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Successful Conference Cup Final 4 Opens Exciting May for European Club Water Polo European Aquatics enjoyed an excellent start to May with the successful staging of the Conference Cup Final 4 in Athens.
As one of European Aquatics’ newest club competitions, the event fully justified expectations by delivering high-quality competition, strong atmosphere and growing engagement from clubs and supporters across Europe.
Throughout May, attention has also focused on decisive Champions League and Euro Cup matches for both men and women, as Europe’s top clubs competed for places in the final stages of continental competition. |
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Major Finals to Conclude the Club Season in June The European club water polo season now enters its decisive phase. The Euro Cup Women Final will take place on 3 June, followed by the Euro Cup Men Final on 6 June. The season will then conclude with the Champions League Final 4 events for women and men, scheduled from 10–12 June in Malta, bringing together Europe’s top clubs for the climax of the 2025–2026 season. |
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Water Polo Development Camp Returns to Bulgaria From 24–30 June, European Aquatics will organise the second edition of the EA Water Polo Development Camp in Kranevo, Varna, Bulgaria.
The programme combines technical training, gameplay development, education and team-building activities within a fully supervised environment designed to support young athletes, coaches and referees.
Training sessions will be led by experienced coaches with a strong emphasis on water polo fundamentals, tactical development and practical match play.
Participants from Ireland, Lithuania, Türkiye, Bulgaria, Romania and Portugal have already registered, with more than half of available places already filled.
The camp also includes social and recreational activities aimed at strengthening international exchange and community-building among young participants. |
Education and European Aquatics Academy |
Masters Officials Courses Continue Across Europe European Aquatics has continued to deliver and prepare educational courses for Masters Officials during May as part of its ongoing commitment to technical development and high officiating standards across all aquatic disciplines.
National Federations are already able to nominate officials for the European Aquatics Masters Championships 2026.
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Save the Date – Swimming Elite Coach Conference in Portugal European Aquatics has confirmed that the Swimming Elite Coach Conference will take place in Maia, Portugal, on 18–19 September 2026.
The conference will bring together leading coaches and technical experts from across Europe to discuss elite performance, athlete development, innovation and best practices in high-performance swimming.
Further information will be shared with Member Federations in the coming months. |
Education Activities Coming Up in June A busy June education calendar will include several important clinics and certification opportunities:
Swimming Coaches Course – Level 1 | Malta
Coaches Clinic | Junior Diving Championships | Budapest
Water Polo Referees School 2026 | Basic Certification Clinic Theory & Practice
These programmes continue to support European Aquatics’ long-term investment in coach development, technical excellence and educational pathways for Member Federations. |
Aquatics Social Responsibility |
Swim Safe Europe Conference 2026 European Aquatics has opened the call for abstracts for the Swim Safe Europe Conference 2026, inviting contributions from researchers, practitioners and national federations.
The conference will take place on August 7-8 in Paris and will include a scientific and practice-orientated programme focused on advancing aquatic education and water safety.
Submissions are encouraged from a wide range of fields, including Learn to Swim programmes, drowning prevention, aquatic literacy, coach education and the use of technology in teaching. Both scientific research and applied practice projects are welcome.
Abstracts must be submitted in English, with a length of 500–750 words, and follow the official template. Authors may indicate their preferred presentation format, including oral, poster or video.
All submissions will be reviewed by a scientific committee to ensure quality and relevance. The deadline for submission is July 3, 2026.
Accepted authors will have the opportunity to present their work to an international audience and contribute to the exchange of knowledge and best practices across the aquatics community.
Accepted authors (oral or poster) must register to confirm their participation. Authors who fail to register will be excluded from the final program and the book of abstracts. A 50% discount on the registration fee will be granted to presenting authors for the day of their poster/oral presentation.
Registered conference participants may present their communications at no additional cost.
Deadline for entries is July 30. |
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Women in Aquatics Network European Aquatics is pleased to announce the first leadership webinar of the Women in Aquatics Network, scheduled to take place online on June 15, 2026 at 17:00 CET.
Marking an important milestone in the continued development of the Women in Aquatics Network, the webinar is an initiative designed to support, connect and empower women across the aquatic community through education, leadership development and shared experiences.
The webinar will bring together female leaders from across European Aquatics to discuss their personal leadership journeys, governance experience and the challenges and opportunities faced by women in sport leadership positions.
The webinar will feature: Julia Powischer – Secretary General of the Austrian Swimming Federation Kim Van Malderen – General Director of the Royal Belgium Swimming Federation Pia Zätterström – President of the Swedish Swimming Federation Rita Zeqiri – President of the Kosovo Swimming Federation
The discussion will be facilitated by: Sarah Keane – European Aquatics Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee Chair and Bureau Liaison Andida Bouma – European Aquatics DEI Committee Member and Treasurer Silvia Costa – Aquatics Social Responsibility Project Manager
Throughout the webinar, speakers will share reflections on navigating pathways to senior leadership, overcoming barriers, lessons learned at governance and executive level, and practical advice for women considering or preparing for leadership roles within sport.
The session will also explore how stronger governance structures, intentional leadership pathways and greater visibility can contribute to increased female representation in decision-making positions across aquatics and sport more broadly. European Aquatics highlighted that the webinar aims to create an open and supportive environment where participants can learn from real experiences, exchange ideas and strengthen professional networks within the aquatic community.
Women interested in participating in the webinar are invited to join the Women in Aquatics Network and register through the official platform.
The Network is open to women aged 18 and over who are members of a National Federation within European Aquatics, or who have been involved in aquatics at any point during the past 10 years, and who have an interest in leadership and professional development within sport.
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European Aquatics Delegation Visits Ukraine European Aquatics President Antonio Silva and Vice President Erkan Yalcin visited Ukraine during May to reaffirm European Aquatics’ solidarity and support for the country’s aquatic sports community.
The delegation travelled to Kyiv, Lviv and Odesa, meeting athletes, coaches, federation representatives and government officials while observing first-hand the challenges currently facing Ukrainian sport.
A particularly significant moment of the visit was attendance at the National Swimming Championships in Brovary on 14 May, including participation in medal ceremonies and a farewell tribute to Olympic medallist Mykhailo Romanchuk.
The delegation also met leading Ukrainian athletes and Paralympic representatives, including artistic swimming champion Marta Fiedina, while visiting major sporting and rehabilitation facilities across the country.
The visit reinforced European Aquatics’ continued commitment to supporting Ukrainian athletes, federations and the wider sporting community during extremely challenging circumstances. |
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European Aquatics Participates in Sports Development Conference in Georgia European Aquatics President Antonio Silva and First Vice President Josip Varvodić represented European Aquatics at a sports development conference in Tbilisi hosted by Georgia’s Minister of Sport.
Discussions focused on long-term development opportunities for aquatic sports in Georgia, including expansion of the Swim Safe Europe programme, infrastructure development, coach education and opportunities to host future international events.
European Aquatics reaffirmed its commitment to strategic collaboration with Member Federations and governmental partners to support sustainable growth across the continent. |
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European Aquatics Strengthens Cooperation with Moldova During an official visit to Chișinău, European Aquatics President Antonio Silva held a series of meetings focused on the long-term development of aquatic sports in Moldova.
Key discussion areas included Learn to Swim programmes, coach education aligned with European standards, facility modernisation and opportunities to host future international competitions.
The visit highlighted the growing cooperation between European Aquatics and Moldovan sporting institutions in support of sustainable development, inclusion and athlete opportunity across all aquatic disciplines. |
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