Nick Albiero, a 2021 U.S. National Team Member and NCAA Champion, will join the Brazilian Swimming Federation in the leadup to the Paris 2024 Olympics. Albiero said that the move would allow him to “embrace [his] family heritage.”
Albiero will be training with Brazillian swim club MTC Natação and living in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
“Joining the Brazilian Swimming Federation allows me to embrace my family heritage and pay tribute to my dad’s roots,” Albiero said in a press release. “I’ve always had a sense of belonging in Brazil, visiting frequently and learning about the culture, and this decision feels like a part of who I am in my core. I am incredibly grateful for the support of my family and the opportunity to compete under the Brazilian flag.”
“I am filled with mixed emotions leaving USA Swimming. However there are so many exciting opportunities ahead and will forever be grateful for all of the support I have received from my family, team, and sponsors during my time representing the University of Louisville and Team USA,” Albiero added. “I am confident that this transition will contribute significantly to my development not only as an athlete but as a person, and will put me in a great position moving forward to the Paris Olympics. I couldn’t be more excited.”
Albiero holds dual citizenship for the United States and Brazil, but was born in the U.S.. His family is also of Brazilian descent and his father, Louisville head coach Arthur Albiero, was born in Brazil.
Three weeks ago, Albiero swam his last competition as a Team USA member at the 2023 U.S. National Championships. There, he was 11th in the 200 fly (1:55.96), 15th in the 100 fly (52.71), 12th in the 200 back (1:58.39), and 16th in the 100 back (54.75). In 2021, Albiero went his best time of 1:55.85 in the 200 fly to get fourth at U.S. Olympic trials. That time had him named on the U.S. National team for the 2021-22 season.
Albiero’s 200 fly best time would make him the second-fastest Brazilian in the event since 2021, only behind Leonardo De Deus, who went 1:54.81 at the Tokyo Olympics. De Deus won 2023 Brazilian Nationals in a time of 1:55.47, while Albiero’s U.S. Nationals time would have placed him second at the Brazilian meet.
From 2017 to 2022, Albiero swam collegiately for the University of Louisville and continued to train there as a pro. He was the 2021 NCAA Champion in the 200 fly and 200 medley relay. His younger sister, Gabi, is a rising senior swimmer at Louisville who is a member of the 2022-23 U.S. National team.
Though Gabi Albiero is still currently a member of the U.S. National team, she reposted her brother’s Instagram post announcing his move on her story with the words “on my way”—which could indicate a future move to the Brazilian Swimming Federation for her as well.
In order to represent a country at international competition, World Aquatics requires a swimmer to either be a citizen of the country by birth or reside in that country for at least three years. To change sporting nationalities, a swimmer must wait three years from when they last represented a country before competing for a new country in an international competition.
When changing sporting citizenships, an athlete must demonstrated uninterrupted residence in a country for 3 years prior to representing them, or prove a “genuine, close and established link to the country or Sport Country he/she will represent”. The athlete has to wait 3 years between representation in either case, but does not necessarily have to live in their new country if they can prove a close link.
- Read more about World Aquatics’ new policy regarding nationality changes here.
Albiero has not competed in any senior international meets with Team USA, so the three-year waiting period for competitions does not apply to him (but the living requirement still will). SwimSwam has reached out to see whether he will have to meet that living requirement in order to represent Brazil internationally.
Congrats Nick! You have been on this journey your entire life and you are now an Olympian! This is your time.
Dude got cooked by a 16 year old and decided to bounce.
Michael Andrew should do the same to South Africa. American team disrespects him and leaves him at home.
Yea the America team forced him to add 2 seconds in the 100 breaststroke… grow up
3.5. Don’t sell him short!
Going a 1:01 100 breast will do that
MA played himself
The CRAVEN nature of his change in citizenship ranks right up there with Santo
Condorelli!
USA? Canada? Italy? ‘Back to USA?
I’m all about SwimSwam trolling, but this guy stinks ^
Truth has no odor, friend – only mendacity!
So, he’s going from the Premier League to the MLS.
Did he have to move to Brazil in order to do this? Seems not, right? Given that Caspar Corbeau trains in the U.S. but represents the Netherlands, and Bruno Fratus trains in the U.S. as well.
Edit: he doesn’t have to meet the living requirement if he proves he has a “genuine, close and established link to the country or Sport Country he/she will represent.”
Oh I know, I guess I was just wondering out loud why he chose to. I mean, I can’t imagine Brazil’s a demonstrably safer place to be a gay man than Kentucky.
You can’t or can?
Brazil ranks among the best countries in the world for LGBTQ rights. The US does too, but of course there’s state-by-state variances there. Kentucky isn’t the worst place in the US for LGBTQ rights, but it’s near the bottom.
Given that at least one Supreme Court justice in the US has publicly invited challenges to and wrote in an opinion that the Supreme Court ‘should reconsider’ legalized gay marriage, I don’t know how long the US will stay near the top.
Sorry, yes, that was a typo and I meant “can.” I wouldn’t choose Kentucky or the University of Louisville for that reason alone.
I think I read somehwere that Brazil was the first country in the Americas to legalize homosexuality… in 1830.
My brother, who is gay, lived in Brazil for 20 years and he’s never had to worry about his homosexuality there. He now moved to New Zealand but if the choice had been between staying in Brazil or moving to Kentucky, he’d probably have chosen to stay.
What do you mean by rights? Why would his rights be any different than a straight individual?
In some countries having gay sexual relations is illegal, for starters. Not sure what the situation was in 1830 in the US, state by state.
“I don’t know how long the US will stay near the top.“
I thought the issue was sport, not gay accommodations? It’s about Swimming, not SCOTUS. . . . . . .
I don’t understand your question, but he is moving from Louisville to Belo Horizonte.
Belo Horizonte, Brasil.
Yep. And that guy’s (said “supreme court justice”) marriage wouldn’t even be legal if he had his way.
When did Nick “come out” as gay? Was there an article here on Swimswam that I missed? If not, then it’s nobody’s business unless he chooses to tell them, so why are you outing him in this comment section?
https://www.teamusa.com/news/2023/june/16/swimmer-nick-albiero-on-life-before-and-after-coming-out
Sorry, Gulliver, and thank you,Troyy!
At best, semantics. . . . LOL
How can you prove this genuine link? Asking for a friend.
We don’t really know yet, it’s nebulous and will probably be determined by a panel of bureaucrats on a case by case basis.
The read between the lines so far seems like a couple of options are:
1) holding a passport for that country for more than 5 years
2) Having a parent who lived much of their life in that country
We’ll hopefully learn more as these cases come up, if the process has transparency.
Family heritage calls,
Albiero swims for Brazil,
Paris Olympics.
Insanely mid
Much weight has lifted
Albiero has come out
His swimming will shine
what type of poem is this
haiku l
For him this is probably a great move could potentially compete at the 2024 worlds if Brazil has a selection meet for that and could help him in the lead up to Paris.