The Amateur Swimming Union of the Americas (known as UANA) has officially endorsed current FINA president Julio Maglione to serve a third term.
UANA’s quadrennial general assembly met in Toronto this week, the host city of the Pan American Games, and officially threw its support behind Maglione.
FINA, the international swimming federation, would have to amend its rules regarding term limits and age limits in order to allow Maglione to serve a third term. But Maglione now has the support of all the major continental federations in his bid for another term, according to UANA’s press release.
Maglione is also the interim president of the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO), which organizes the Pan American Games. He is in Toronto overseeing the 2015 version of the Games, which started over the weekend.
UANA credited Maglione with resolving possible scheduling conflicts between Pan Ams and the FINA World Aquatics Championships, which start in just a few weeks in Kazan, Russia. The two events do not overlap their swimming schedules, allowing nations to send athletes and coaches to both events.
Maglione is originally from Uruguay, and is the president of that nation’s Olympic Committee, as well as a member of the International Olympic Committee.
In this same meeting, UANA also elected Dale Neuberger to again serve as vice president of FINA, alongside Maglione if Maglione gets his third term.
The 2017-2021 term will be Neuberger’s last in office, he said in the UANA press release. Neuberger is from the United States, and has been FINA’s vice president since 2000.
“UANA credited Maglione with resolving possible scheduling conflicts between Pan Ams and the FINA World Aquatics Championships”
This guy decided to not have two major championships at the same time? What incredible foresight, give him presidency for life!
He still has some work to do to equal Sepp Blatter. But he can do it!
FINA goes more and more hand in hand with FIFA.