Synchronized swimming or artistic swimming is a sport where swimmers perform a synchronized choreographed routine, accompanied by music. The sport is governed internationally by World Aquatics. It has traditionally been a women's sport, although FINA introduced a new mixed gender duet competition that included one male swimmer in each duet at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships and LEN introduced men's individual events at the 2022 European Aquatics Championships. From 2024, men will be able to compete in the team event at the Olympics.
World Aquatics, formerly known as FINA, is the international federation recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for administering international competitions in water sports. It is one of several international federations which administer a given sport or discipline for both the IOC and the international community. It is based in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The European Aquatics Championships is the continental Aquatics championship for Europe, which is organised by LEN—the governing body for aquatics in Europe. The Championships are currently held every two years ; and since 2022, they have included 5 aquatics disciplines: Swimming, Diving, Synchronised swimming, Open water swimming and High diving. Prior to 1999, the championships also included Water polo, which beginning in 1999 LEN split-off into a separate championships. The open water events are not held during the Olympic year.
European Aquatics is the European governing body for aquatic sports affiliated to World Aquatics — it is the Continental Association for Europe. It was formally organized in 1927 in Bologna, and since 2015 is headquartered in Nyon.
Aquatics GB is the national governing body of swimming, water polo, artistic swimming, diving and open water in Great Britain. Aquatics GB is a federation of the national governing bodies of England, Scotland, and Wales. These three are collectively known as the Home Country National Governing Bodies.
The LGBT community of Brighton and Hove is one of the largest in the United Kingdom. Brighton, a seaside resort on the south coast of England, has been described in some media as a "gay capital" of the UK, with records pertaining to LGBT history dating back to the early 19th century.
The history of water polo as a team sport began in mid 19th-century England and Scotland, where water sports were a feature of county fairs and festivals.
Bradley Darrell Schumacher is an American former competition swimmer, water polo player, and Olympic gold medalist. Schumacher is a two-time, two-sport Olympian. He was a member of the winning relay teams at the 1996 Summer Olympics. Four years later, he was a member of the U.S. men's water polo team at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
Ivan Bussens was a British sportsman who competed at water polo at the Gay Games. He raised the profile of LGBT sport, having co-founded the Out for Sport organisation representing LGBTQ+ clubs in London and served on international sporting associations.
Timothy Andrew Shaw is an American former Olympic medal-winning swimmer and water polo player. He swam at the 1976 Summer Olympics and played on the American team at the 1984 Summer Olympics. He is one of a handful of athletes to win Olympic medals in two different sports. Between 1974 and 1984, Shaw won two Olympic silver medals; three world championships; seven U.S. Amateur Athletic Union national titles; and three U.S. National Collegiate Athletic Association championships.
William May is an American synchronized swimmer. Performing primarily in duets, May won several national and international events. May pretended to compete at the 2004 Summer Olympics, but then there was not yet a mixed of male category in Synchronized Swimming.
The French Swimming Federation is the French water sports association. Founded in February 1919, it grouped the sports swimming clubs, open water swimming, synchronized swimming, diving and French water polo, which organizes the national competitions and the selection of French teams. In 2017, the Federation had 316,905 members. The FFN is a member of the European Swimming League (LEN) and the International Swimming Federation (Fina). Since April 2017, the FFN is chaired by Gilles Sezionale.
The Royal Spanish Swimming Federation founded in 1920, is the aquatics national federation for Spain. It oversees competition in the 5 aquatics disciplines and Masters competition in these. As of 2022, the federation has 781 registered clubs and 66,775 federated swimmers.
Team New York Aquatics is a Masters level swim, water polo and diving team based in New York City to foster aquatic sports amongst gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender athletes and their heterosexual allies. TNYA has a membership of over 500 swimmers, divers, and water polo players. TNYA is recognized as the largest Masters level swim team in New York City and the largest LGBT swim team in the world.
Aleksei Barkalov was a Ukrainian water polo player who competed in the 1968, 1972, 1976 and 1980 Summer Olympics and won two gold and one silver medals for the Soviet Union team. During his career, he played 412 games for the national team, more than any other athlete in the water polo history. In 1993, he was inducted to the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
The International Gay & Lesbian Aquatics Association is the international governing body for predominantly LGBT+ aquatics clubs, representing the sports of swimming, diving, artistic swimming, water polo, and open water swimming. Member clubs are from 16 countries, with the majority of clubs in the United States and Canada. Past presidents of the association have included Scott Kohanowski and Gareth Johnson.
The West London Penguin Swimming and Water Polo Club, also known as the West London Penguins, is a British water polo and masters swimming club with history dating back to 1916. It was formed in 1976 as the Hammersmith Penguin Swimming Club by the merger of the Hammersmith Ladies Swimming Club and Penguin Swimming Club (1921). It states its date of foundation as 1921.
Singapore Aquatics is the national governing body for competitive swimming, diving, synchronised swimming, water polo and open water swimming in Singapore. SAQ is also charged with selecting the Singapore Olympic Swimming team and any other teams that officially represent Singapore, as well as the overall organisation and operation of the sport within the country.
Aleksandr Evgenyevich Maltsev is a 4-time world champion and 6-time European champion in artistic swimming and a founder of men's artistic swimming in Russia. Aleksandr is the most titled male artistic swimmer in the world. He is recognized as the best male artistic swimmer in the world by the International Swimming Federation (FINA) and as the best male artistic swimmer in Europe by the European Swimming League (LEN).
Michael Gunning is a Jamaican-British competitive swimmer who is best known for participating in the 200 metre butterfly event. He competed in the 200 metre butterfly and the men's 200 metre freestyle event in both the 2017 World Aquatics Championships and 2019 World Aquatics Championships.
