SwimSwam Pulse is a recurring feature tracking and analyzing the results of our periodic A3 Performance Polls. You can cast your vote in our newest poll on the SwimSwam homepage, about halfway down the page on the right side, or you can find the poll embedded at the bottom of this post.
Our most recent poll asked SwimSwam readers for their thoughts on the World Swimming Association as an alternative governing body for swimming:
RESULTS
Question: Do you support the World Swimming Association as an alternative to FINA?
- Yes – 66.2%
- No, we don’t need an alternative to FINA – 20.3%
- No, we need an alternative, but I don’t support WSA – 13.4%
About two-thirds of SwimSwam voters support the World Swimming Association as an alternative to FINA as the international governing body for aquatic sports.
With just over 500 total votes, about 350 of them went in support of the WSA, which officially ratified its constitution late last month. The main face of the WSA so far has been John Leonard, the executive director of the World Swimming Coaches Association and an outspoken critic of FINA, the current international federation governing swimming and aquatic sports.
It should be noted that there could be some confusion in the minds of voters between the various bodies critiquing FINA. One potential source of confusion is with GAPS (the Global Association of Professional Swimmers). GAPS was started by Hungarian swimmer Katinka Hosszu, and is a labor union for professional swimmers designed to advocate for swimmers at the governing level of the sport. GAPS and the WSA are entirely different entities, though both have been publicly critical of many FINA policies.
In our poll, about a third of voters did not support the WSA. Interestingly, despite what often feels like overwhelming criticism of FINA by fans, 20% of votes said swimming did not need an alternative federation to govern itself, perhaps supporting reform within FINA or a continuation of current FINA policies.
About 13% said they supported an alternative governing body for swimming, but didn’t support the WSA specifically.
Below, vote in our new A3 Performance Poll, which asks voters which new NCAA head coach will have the better season in their new post:
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ABOUT A3 PERFORMANCE
The A3 Performance Poll is courtesy of A3 Performance, a SwimSwam partner
or many people just don’t know Leonard
20% would rather stick their head in the sand? That’s a bit sad.
No it’s more like 20% of people have no clue of what’s been going on.
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