ATR Q&A -- FINA President Julio Cesar Maglione on Aquatics Convention

(ATR) Julio Cesar Maglione, president of the International Aquatics Federation, FINA, spoke with Around the Rings about the first World Aquatics Convention, now just four months away.

The Convention will be held in Punta del Este, Uruguay Sept. 27 -29. Delegates from around the world will discuss ways to move aquatic sport forward. The three main topics for discussion are how to better develop national federations, how to improve FINA for the federation’s commercial partners, and how to achieve unity within aquatic sport.

Maglione, who is also the IOC member from Uruguay, spoke to ATR earlier in May about the Convention.

Around the Rings: What is the reason to hold this convention?

Julio Cesar Maglione: During three days (September 27-29), the entire Aquatic community will be gathered to discuss the ways of enhancing the development of our Sports in the five continents and to present FINA in the 21st century. Delegates from national federations, representatives from prestigious organizations such as the International Olympic Committee and the United Nations, from sport business companies such as sponsors, T.V. networks and commercial partners, but also organizers and future bidders of FINA events are invited to attend this Convention.

The main goal of this Convention is to provide a privileged opportunity for all protagonists of the FINA family and of the aquatic world in general to network together, and to supply our 202 National Member Federations with programs for further progress in the areas of management, governance, promotion and organization of events.

Our members and partners will feel part of a strong organization, FINA, with the aim of improving their activities in general and to organize great FINA World Championships as aquatic festivals where the world will enjoy the great stars in our five disciplines.

In Punta del Este, we want to present new ideas, to be innovative and to share our knowledge with the entire FINA Family.

For that, we will have in this Convention many respected and well-known lecturers, who will provide their insight on how our 202 national federations must further proceed in improving their activities. Moreover, we will show to organizers and potential bidders of our events that FINA is among one of the most successful International Federations in the world sport industry and constitutes a pillar of the Olympic Movement. We will also present to existing and future commercial partners the benefits and positive impact associated to FINA’s main product, its World Championships.

ATR: How is this different from a FINA Congress?

JM: The FINA General Congress is organized every four years and deals with the approval of the report of the President and Honorary Treasurer, and considers the proposals for amendments made by our national federations to the Constitutional and General Rules. Furthermore, it also electsthe President and the Bureau members, who will then appoint the members of the FINA Committees and Commissions.

ATR: How many people are you expecting?

JM: We estimate that between national federation delegates, representatives of industries connected to aquatic activities, organizing committees and bidders of FINA events, we will have about 400/500 participants. We expect the second edition to have an even higher dimension.

ATR: Who will be coming to the convention?

JM: The 1st FINA World Aquatics Convention will be attended by:

• FINA and its 202 Member National Federations

• Olympic Family representatives

• Host organizing committees of Olympic Games and international aquatics championship events

• Sponsors and the aquatics sporting goods industry

• Countries and cities bidding to host aquatics events

• Aquatics centers offering top-class elite training camps

• Performance/elite swimming program management consultants

• Architects, engineering and program management consultants designing the world’s leading aquatics venues and facilities.

• New Media/technology companies transforming the way aquatics sport is consumed in the media.

• Companies specializing in delivering products and services to the international aquatics community.

ATR: Will there be commercial exhibits?

JM: Yes, an exhibitors’ area will be available and will host partners and companies interested in promoting their products and services to the aquatic community. In this regard, we are being actively supported by SportAccord and their marketing agents, who have a deep and successful experience in organizing this kind of conventions.

ATR: Will these be held every year? How will the next host be chosen?

JM: The Convention will be held every other year, and after the input and experience we will have in 2010, we will create a bidding package for all cities interested in hosting the event in 2012.

ATR: Is there anything else to say about the convention?

JM: Our main objective with this initiative is to allow our national federations, aquatic sport industries, and commercial and T.V. network partners to interact together in the search for the best solutions to make our sports bigger and more important.

Today, in the 21st century, communication is the keyword when promoting our activities and making them more creative. That is why we want to share new ideas and to develop new concepts that will benefit our athletes worldwide.

Interview conducted by Ed Hula.