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FINA President Husain Al-Musallam said:
“Given the current pandemic situation and the measures currently in place in Japan, FINA and key stakeholders of the Fukuoka 2022 Organising Committee have agreed to reschedule the 19th FINA World Championships to 14-30 July 2023.
“The 20th FINA World Championships in Doha, Qatar, will now take place in January 2024. These decisions have been taken in the best interests of everyone involved.
“FINA will continue to prioritise the welfare of competition participants and take decisions as early as possible given the circumstances, in order to provide a measure of certainty to aquatics athletes and those who support them.”
Revised dates for the FINA General and Technical Congresses and the World Masters Championships will be announced in the near future.
So too will the world body announced an updated calendar for 2022 in the light of the ISL last week announcing a competition that will run from June-December.
British Swimming also responded with CEO Jack Buckner saying:
“We respect and support the decision to reschedule the World Championships in Fukuoka in light of the ongoing COVID-19 situation and the continuing impacts and complications it brings to major international events.
“While major spectacles such as a World Aquatics Championships brings our brilliant sports to the fore and provides a priceless platform on which our athletes can shine, the health and wellbeing of everyone involved in and outside of our sports remains of paramount importance.
“At British Swimming, our athletes, coaches and staff have shown time and again over the past two years that they can be versatile and adaptable in difficult circumstances, and this is another moment where I am sure those qualities will come to the fore.
“The 2022 aquatics calendar remains a busy and exciting one, with Commonwealth Games, European Championships and Para Swimming World Championships all still on the horizon for our senior athletes, as well as big junior competition opportunities.”
British Swimming Associate Performance Director Tim Jones added:
“While this is disappointing news, our athletes and coaches have shown incredible agility these past two years – and we have no doubt that they will adapt to these changes in a positive manner.
“We now look forward to fully supporting the Home Nations at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, before concluding the season at the European Championships in Rome.”