The Paris 2024 Olympic Games will be historic for artistic swimming because for the first time men can be chosen to be part of the teams, hitherto reserved only for women.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved World Aquatics for this unprecedented step and two men - at most - will be able to participate in the team event, so far made up of eight women.
Artistic swimming, which until 2017 was called synchronized swimming, participated for the first time in the Olympic Games in Los Angeles 1984 and only in 2015 did men attend the FINA Aquatic World Championships in the mixed duo event.
Since 2015, World Aquatics (formerly known as FINA) has been taking steps in search of the inclusion of men in artistic swimming and one of the decisions it had already taken this year was to allow male swimmers to participate in team events in junior and youth categories.
The first men’s world champion in history, the American Bill May, said in statements that World Aquatics replays that “the inclusion of men in Olympic artistic swimming was once considered an impossible dream. This shows that we should all dream big.”
“Male athletes have resisted. Now, thanks to their perseverance and the help and support of so many, all athletes can be seeking Olympic glory,” said May, one of the pioneers of the specialty and who now works as a coach.
For his part, the Italian Giorgio Minisini, world champion in the technical routine in 2017 and 2022 and one of today’s great references, highlighted that “this announcement marks a milestone in the history of artistic swimming”.
“The evolution of our sport towards inclusion is progressing rapidly, and this decision of the IOC and World Aquatics will help us to become an example for the entire Olympic movement,” added Minisini, who this year in Rome won the European Artistic Swimming Championship in the men’s only category, which was held for the first time. It was another historic step.
Artistic swimming in Paris 2024 will take place from August 5 to 10 and will have the participation of 96 athletes, who will compete in duet competitions (they will continue to be only for women) and team competitions. In both specialties there will be technical and free routines. World Aquatics has already announced the system for qualifying for the Olympic Games.
“Water sports are universal and men have proven to be excellent artistic swimmers. Inclusion is a great prize for all those who have worked for many years to make this happen,” said Husain Al-Musallam, the president of World Aquatics.
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