World Aquatics Investigating Former Mexican Swimming Federation President Kiril Todorov

World Aquatics has opened a disciplinary procedure against Kiril Todorov, the ex-president of the Mexican Swimming Federation (FMN), after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) confirmed the global governing body’s decision to install a “stabilization committee.”

The CAS ruling was announced last week, more than a year after World Aquatics (known back then as FINA) established a stabilization committee chaired by former Mexican Olympic swimmer Javier Diaz last January in response to FMN’s “repeated failure” to comply with “good governance standards.” During the appeal process, Mexico’s National Commission for Physical Culture and Sport (CONADE) publicly stated it didn’t recognize the stabilization committee and refused to support it with any funding.

“This is an extremely important judgement by CAS, as it clearly confirms the ability of the World Aquatics Bureau to install a Stabilization Committee when such action is required,” World Aquatics executive director Brent Nowicki. “In the case of the Mexican Swimming Federation, the CAS rightly confirmed that the action taken the World Aquatics Bureau to protect Mexican athletes, clubs, and officials was justified given the repeated and blatant failures of the federation and its leadership.”

The Mexican federation has run into several major controversies under Todorov’s administration, including falsifying entry times for the 2015 World Championships, a suspension by FINA for withdrawing from its hosting duties at the 2017 World Championships, and the replacement of the country’s entire technical staff in 2019. Todorov has also been accused of corruption and embezzlement related to spending of public funds and had petitions calling for his resignation since 2016.

Last year’s national selection trials were organized by the stabilization committee, which World Aquatics said would remain in charge until FMN can hold a “transparent and democratic election.”

Todorov is provisionally suspended pending the outcome of the disciplinary procedure against him.

“I am innocent of all the charges against me,” Todorov said in a statement. “I do not deserve to be imposed any sanction. The provisional suspension without the right to a hearing is a violation of my fundamental rights.”

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Mexico es Primero
11 months ago

Este es un ladrón corrupto ayudado por Ana Guevara que siendo presidenta de Conade han retirado las becas a los atletas mexicanos en la disciplina de la natación.

Lleva años de corrupción enriquecimiento ilícito miles de pruebas y juicios y Conade insiste en defender lo indefendible.

Y si World Aquatics no hace algo para destituir la FMN estos seguirán abusando de la ignorancia de los padres de familia en México además de amenazar a las asociaciones de natación de los diferentes estados de la república mexicana y a los entrenadores advirtiendo que perderán sus sueldos si no engañan a los padres de familia.

México merece más

Snarky
11 months ago

Corruption investigating corruption. Classic.

Kvasha
Reply to  Snarky
11 months ago

Absolutely correct

Tim OB
11 months ago

World Aquatics needs a Stabilization Committee for its own Bureau members and their dirty deals.

Kvasha
Reply to  Tim OB
11 months ago

I see they got rid of all the Honorary Secretaries and Bureau Liaisons. What is the deal with that? ?

Van de Rooy
11 months ago

Sounds like conduct befitting of Zhou Jihong but FINA didn’t investigate her. Oh that’s right … she’s on the inside.

Kvasha
Reply to  Van de Rooy
11 months ago

Dead right. One of their own

Tim OB
Reply to  Van de Rooy
11 months ago

And she provides all the cash!!

Swammer
11 months ago

Todorov…
Yep sounds like he was born and raised in Mexico with that last name.

DLSwim
Reply to  Swammer
11 months ago

What’s your point? You’d be surprised at the variety of last names of Mexicans. And so what if he wasn’t born in Mexico?

CADWALLADER GANG
Reply to  Swammer
11 months ago

there’s many mexicans that don’t have a typical “mexican” last name

Radish
Reply to  Swammer
11 months ago

Bulgarian

IM FAN
Reply to  Swammer
11 months ago

Only the United States has a diverse population thanks to it being uniquely international. No other country in the Americas is like that. They just happen to speak Spanish and were totally isolated from the world…

Popovicitis
Reply to  IM FAN
11 months ago

Only the United States has a diverse population thanks to it being uniquely international.

Australia? Canada? UK?

CADWALLADER GANG
Reply to  Popovicitis
11 months ago

i think they were being sarcastic

About Riley Overend

Riley is an associate editor interested in the stories taking place outside of the pool just as much as the drama between the lane lines. A 2019 graduate of Boston College, he arrived at SwimSwam in April of 2022 after three years as a sports reporter and sports editor at newspapers …

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