Kiril Todorov, former president of the Federación Mexicana de Natación (Mexican Swimming Federation), has been given a two-year suspension from the World Aquatics’ Integrity Unit.
The suspension, which runs from October 29, 2024, through October 29, 2026, comes after Todorov failed to comply with disciplinary standards from his provisional suspension in 2023. This suspension was related to embezzlement allegations among other “various potential acts of misconduct”.
In addition to the Aquatics Integrity Unit, Todorov is also under investigation by Mexican criminal authorities over embezzlement allegations.
World Aquatics said that Todorov did not comply with the required next procedures after his provisional suspension. Last year World Aquatics created a stabilization committee to oversee swimming in Mexico as a response to the Federation’s “repeated failure… to comply with FINA (World Aquatic)’s good standards.” Mexico’s National Commission for Physical Culture and Sport did not recognize this committee.
Despite his suspension, there are documents as recent as October in which Todorov still signs himself as president of the Federation.
Todorov officially served as the president of the Mexican Swimming Federation from 2009 – 2022. The Federation experienced several controversies during this time.
In 2015, while Torodov was president, the Mexican Swimming Federation falsified entry times for its athletes at the 2015 World Championships. World Aquatics (then FINA) then suspended the Federation in 2016 after the organization didn’t meet contractual obligations associated with canceling the 2017 World Championships that were supposed to be in Guadalajara.
In 2018, the Federation was under fire after poor water quality sickened over 400 athletes at Mexico’s Short Course National Championships
In 2020, the Federation allegedly hid its entry criteria for the Tokyo Olympics.
Todorov has seemingly not spoken with any media since the suspension went into place.
