Water Polo Olympic Summit in Budapest

(ATR) Keeping water polo part of the Games is the objective of this week’s FINA World Water Polo Conference in Budapest.

As more sports jostle to join the Olympic program, the pressure is on stalwarts such as water polo to defend their position. While on the program for Tokyo 2020, water polo is said to have a question mark hanging over Paris 2024.

Concerns expressed about water polo include lack of universality, stale game presentation, confusing rules and a 70-minute game that doesn’t fit broadcast windows.

Officials from FINA, national federations, athletes, coaches, marketing and social media experts, and broadcasters are brainstorming what to do to make water polo a 21st century sport.

FINA executive director Cornel Marculescu is not worried about the sport’s Olympic status, however he emphasizes that that the three-day meeting is critical in modernizing, improving and ultimately expanding water polo’s global footprint.

"Personally, I have no doubt," Marculescu said, when pressed by Around the Rings if there will be top notch water polo at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. "We have a very close working relationship with the IOC sports department and the IOC sport director of the Games and there is no issue."

"We need to improve the product and make it more competitive in the business environment," Marculescu explained.

Marculescu – who competed for his native Romania in water polo at the Tokyo 1964 Games – admitted complex rules related to fouls and numerous whistles ultimately hurt the sport.

"Our problem today is that spectators have difficulty understanding too many whistles and what they mean," Marculescu said. "We need to create a product that is more accessible to spectators."

In his speech to the conference FINA president Julio Maglione said universality of water polo, dominated by a few European powers, is a concern.

"Questions have been arisen at the IOC level about the universality in the sport," Maglione said. "This implies a serious challenge: the continuity of Water Polo in the Olympic Games.

"And we must continue to be challenged, in order to make sure that our sport continues growing and developing in the five continents."

There are currently 209 national aquatics federations, with approximately 70-80 fielding water polo squads according to FINA. However, in men’s water polo it is apparent that only a small number of central European and Balkan nations routinely compete for medals.

"This is what we are going to work hard to try and develop this sport more around the world," Marculescu said, while also pointing out that the United States has won the past two Olympic gold medals for women.

Staging thrilling events, making the game more attractive, marketing and sponsorship, rule changes and developing the sport outside of the Olympic footprint were among the topics covered on Friday’s agenda.

Numerous proposed rule changes were on the table evaluated by coaches and national federation representatives during a busy Friday afternoon session. U.S. women’s head coach Adam Krikorian called for the use of video review in certain circumstances as utilized by other major sports leagues.

Marculescu also noted the importance of helping to satisfy IOC athlete quotas. The federation is proposing 12 men and 12 women’s teams for Tokyo 2020, which would be an increase of four squads on the women's side from Rio 2016. Currently, the IOC has accepted 10 nations for the women's tournament. FINA also suggests 11 players per squad team rather than 13, which would result in just an increase of four athletes (260 to 264).

"This number is not an issue with an IOC," Marculescu said. "Like the IOC does to improve their product, we are here discussing about brand, promotion – if we don’t do this, we die."

Marculescu emphasized that water polo must improve its star power and athlete recognition similar to the National Basketball Association or FIFA football.

"We have to create stars – we have fantastic guys with the (great) bodies," he says. "When fans are more interested in stars and their teams winning, that provides excitement and then you have strength."

Written and reported by Brian Pinelliin Budapest

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