European Aquatics (EA) has announced the inclusion of Para swimming events at the upcoming European Championships in Paris, marking the first time ever that Para swimming will be contested at the competition.
The events included in the competition will be the men’s and women’s 50 and 100 freestyles on August 15 and 16.
This event does not interfere with the 2026 European Para Swimming Championships, which are set for September 7-12 in Kocaeli, Turkey.
Para Swimming’s European Championship debut is just one of several ways that European Aquatics is implementing Para Swimming throughout the continent.
According to a report from European Aquatics, the organization has approved “new Para sport regulations that go beyond Para swimming to include Para artistic swimming, Para open water swimming, and Para water polo.”
European Aquatics is also continuing to collaborate with major partners in these efforts, including the International Paralympic Committee, World Para Swimming, and Special Olympics, all with the goal of continuing to push the needle for Para Swimming throughout Europe.
These established and growing partnerships also support European Aquatics’ efforts to invest in a “wider culture of inclusion through programs, classification development, inclusive governance, and stronger participation pathways.”
In a separate report from European Aquatics, EA’s Vice President Josip Varvodic stated that European Aquatics and the French Swimming Federation are “committed to making the Paris 2026 Championships a model of inclusion.”
“European Aquatics and the FFN are committed to making the Paris 2026 Championships a model of inclusion,” Varvodic said. “With dedicated events for para swimming and 600 children participating in our learn-to-swim programmes and an inclusive approach to sessions for people with disabilities, we are not just hosting a competition – we are building a legacy of accessibility and opportunity.”
Unpopular opinion, but why do they need to be contested at the same event? If they already have the event in Turkey, isn’t that sufficient??
There was a lot of uncertainty about whether the event in Turkey was going to take place, many teams are focusing on a meet in the Netherlands earlier in the summer. I’m not a fan of these para races though, epsecially when they a multi classification like this.
Great innovation from European aquatics and it follows from World athletics where there are a limited number of sprint multiclass races at Diamond league events.
However, European aquatics doesn’t seem to have linked in to Para swimming and appears to have gone on a solo run here?
More importantly EA has potentially turned the concept into a bit of an insult to Para swimmers most of whom are serious athletes by having it as a “disability free-for-all” by including Special-Olympic athletes such as down-syndrome and other disabilities. With absolutely no wish to insult these swimmers, why would a full time para athlete deign to swim in the same races as guys who swim for fun as “equals”. There… Read more »
I think the idea itself is positive and could be a very good step if it is done properly. Bringing Para swimming into European Aquatics has real potential, and athletics has already shown that selected multiclass sprint events can add visibility and value.
But for this to work, it needs to be connected properly with the Para swimming pathway, with clear eligibility, classification, entry standards and a competition format that respects the level of the athletes involved.
There is also a wider inconsistency between World Aquatics and European Aquatics. They do not seem to be following similar lines. World Aquatics does not appear to think in terms of real inclusion of Para swimming across its events, structures and development pathways,… Read more »