Athletes Voice A Key Inclusion Into Second Version Of New Swimming Australia Constitution After False Start Forced A Second Vote
Swimming Australia has created an Athletes Commission as part of a new constitution passed late Friday, after a false start forced voting members to put forward a second version.
The Athletes’ Commission will nominate candidates to be appointed to the Swimming Australia Board as the governing body’s Athlete Director.
Apart from a greater voice for athletes, there will also be an increase in the overall number of members entitled to vote at general meetings including the formal introduction of the role of Vice President, along with increases in the proportion of votes that a director requires to be appointed President.
Swimming Australia adopted a second version of its new constitution with an 8-1 vote after its first version failed to get past first base.
The governing body’s voting members were in favour of holding an additional meeting where they voted resoundingly in favour on a revised constitution.
Swimming Australia later announced that the second version met the governance requirements of World Aquatics (AQUA) and the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) and had the support of the Swimming Australia Board.
The vote yielded the minimum 75 per cent majority required to pass the new constitution, which comes into immediate effect ahead of Swimming Australia’s Annual General Meeting on October 25.
Following pressure from World Aquatics, Swimming Australia’s new constitution introduces a range of reforms aimed at delivering a more stable overall environment for the sport and better outcomes from the grassroots and community level through to high-performance.
The new constitution will bring it into line with AQUA’s constitutional requirements and the ASC’s good governance requirements and guidelines, while also creating an Athletes’ Commission which will, in an ongoing capacity, nominate candidates to be appointed to the Swimming Australia Board as the Athlete Director.
Meanwhile Swimming Australia also announced this week that the Australian Age Championships and Australian Open Championships will return to Queensland’s Gold Coast Aquatic Centre in what will be another jam-packed schedule from April 6-20, 2024, in the countdown to the Paris Olympic Trials in June.
The largest annual event on the Swimming Australia calendar, the meet will attract thousands of athletes and spectators to one of the country’s premier swimming venues over a testing fortnight of competition for swimmers, coaches, clubs, families, its volunteer officials and event staff.