On the Scene: Cliff Diving for Olympics?

Cliff Diving, Other New Events on Aquatics Horizon

In his comments Tuesday morning during a presentation on "Aquatics Today", FINA executive director Cornel Marculescu casually mentioned the spectacular appeal cliff diving, if added to the Olympic program.

Half-serious, Marculescu mentioned cliff diving among a range of ideas that would help boost the profile of aquatics in the future.

Without innovations, "aquatics will be left behind and marginalized," he told a morning session at the FINA World Aquatics Convention in Punta del Este, Uruguay.

Other innovations mentioned by Marculescu included mixed relay teams trialed in Singapore at the Youth Olympics. And -- speaking of diving -- night diving, such as it was held in Singapore.

IOC Sports Director Christophe Dubi smiled away the cliff diving idea ("it’s the choice of FINA"), but noted the way mixed relays in Singapore "created a buzz".

"Definitely yes," says IOC executive board member Thomas Bach about the success of the mixed relay. Bach spoke to ATR in Punta del Este.

"This is really one of the points to be seriously considered and as soon as possible," Bach says, also endorsing the mixed relay tried for triathlon at the YOG.

Plan Ahead: Aquatics Schedule for 2016

Rio 2016 Carlos Nuzman delivered early for FINA with a proposed schedule for aquatics in Rio de Janeiro.

No dramatic departures from the past, with swimming from day one of the Games, Aug. 6, until Aug 17. Diving runs Aug. 9 to 18. Water polo men play from Aug 6 to 20, the women from Aug 7 to 17. Synchronized swimming runs Aug 15 to 20.

Marathon swim for women is Aug 15, for men Aug 16.

"There are some sports for which we are comfortable and can make plans like this," Nuzman told ATR following the presentation at FINA. Hesaid aquatics is the first sport that Rio 2016 has delivered a proposed calendar, which is says is still subject to IOC approval.

Dive In, Watch Risks, Says Digital Expert

Unabashed advice for aquatics from SportAccord digital media expert Pierre Gremeau: "Dive in."

Gremeau, speaking at the FINA convention also warned that digital media "can’t be ignored, but it’s not easy and straightforward to execute."

Committing time and other institutional resources is a must he says.

Top sites for social networking? Facebook, far and away, he said, while You Tube corners thevideo world. Twitter, he says, is way behind in numbers of users, despite all the mention it gets.

Realize that opening a Facebook page gives Facebook broad rights to the content posted to the page, says Gremeau.

Always accept comment or you will have few friends, he continued. At the same time, be prepared for negative postings, he advises.

Final Day for FINA Convention

The three day convention wraps up Wednesday in a blizzard of 18 presentations across the day.

IOC Olympic Solidarity Director Pere Miro will talk about how Olympic of Solidarity – an organization meant to assist NOCs – can collaborate with federations such as FINA.

FINA vice president and Olympic Council of Asia director general Husain Al-Musallam will address autonomy issues for national federations.

Dentsu marketing exec Soichi Takahashi presents on the view of aquatics in the world sports market, while DDB Latin’s Juan Carlos Ortiz will explain why "Pool is Cool".

FINA’s Cornel Marculescu says bids will be taken to stage the next edition of the convention in 2012, to held after the London Olympics.

i>Written by a href="mailto:ehula@aroundtherings.com">Ed Hula/a>.

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