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FINA has proposed expanding the swimming program to 42 events for the Tokyo Olympic Games, according to a report from InsideTheGames. The proposed lineup would include adding the 50s of each stroke, the men’s 800 and women’s 1500 free and mixed 400 free and 400 medley relays to the current schedule of 32 events.
The addition of those events would bring the Olympic swimming schedule to match that of the biannual FINA World Championships. FINA introduced the 50s of stroke and the non-Olympic distances to its signature meet in 2001, and mixed relays were added in 2015.
These additions are just some of the more than 25 possible events various international federations have proposed adding to the Olympic schedule. There were 306 events contested in Rio, but according to InsideTheGames writer Nick Butler, the IOC is hopeful to keep the total number of events at or under 310.
Therefore, it’s not likely the IOC will accept all of FINA’s recommendations for swimming, particularly with so many other recommendations on the table. This is not the first time FINA has proposed the additional events—prior to the 2016 Games, FINA proposed 40 events for Rio, but that suggestion was denied.
FINA has also asked the IOC to consider new events in other aquatic sports, including high diving (27 meters high for men and 20 meters for women) and a mixed synchro duet, which would allow male synchronized swimmers into the Games for the first time.
FINA has also proposed an expanded water polo tournament (12 teams of 11 instead of eight teams of 13) and the addition of 24 divers and 20 open water swimmers to the current caps.
Again, if the IOC decides to include any of these proposals of the more-than-25, it would be very few of them, and Butler writes that of all the proposals, a three-vs-three basketball tournament appears most likely for inclusion.
Read more from InsideTheGames by clicking here.
Liam Brodrick
Better still let’s see FINA vote to allow three entries per country per event. Athletics (track and field) has three per country; why not swimming?
Oh the ” little” countries are afraid the big bad ol’ USofA will sweep too many events? I can think of not many events where we one-towed @. Rio. The world’s gotten much more competitive in the last 40 years and I think it’d be almost impossible for the USA or ANY nation to sweep.
I’d love to see the 50s become Olympic races although I bet most coaches would cringe at the thought.
But if we want to make our sport more popular (especially for TV) the 50s are the most exciting events out there. Put ’em in NCAA program too!
Especially for the likes of team GBR! They could definitely have three per event
Jamie Watson
Josh Rines Anne Schwarzwälder Fiona Hardie
That would be so great if they added the 50s for each stroke, especially for the sprinters.
Kelsey Larson
Derek Tran
Gina Sirijariyavat
Rian Wise
This must be a mistake. FINA doing something right for a change? Can’t be. 50 Breaststroke for the win!!!
Connor O’Reilly keen for 800 IM relay to be added
Or just an individual 800im
Keen
Taylor Mckeown
Andy Landy
Yes! ❤ 50 form strokes ???
I know right!!! And 1500 for women
Wiktor Muszyński
Annabel Bishop
Aaron Fernandes
Yasss
Nils Mißner deine Vorbereitung sollte weitsichtiger sein als bis zum Donnerstag der DM! 😉
Ich bin Feuer ? und Flamme ?
Peter Varjasi dann hast du jetzt eine Ausrede, wenn du keine langen Einheiten machen willst
NAG and Msia Open 2017.. should be the starting for mixed relax
Tyson Jelbart
Zac Attard
Maaike de Waard
?
I second the 4×200 medley relay for men and women, the 1500 for women (drop the 800)
How about a real endurance test? An 800M IM!
I propose they introduce skins (at both courses) and 25m events for short course events
How fun would that be
Artūrs Līcītis mēs braucam
Sophie Caldwell
Lucy Burchell
Daniel Cave
I want that 50 breast
Nah you’re all for the men’s 8 free
Can u not
WOOOO
Kristijan Tomić 50 prsno u tokiju .?? ?
Hahaha sad su se sjetili nabijem ih 😉
Chantelle Gregory Sienna Prowse Olivia D’Agostino
Graeme
Thomas Greenfield
Hussien Ahmed Elkanadily
Very, very unlikely that IOC will admit more than a few new events. Even then they will probably ask to cut events to accomodate the new ones. I have never been too keen on the 50’s but the inclusion of the 50 free 30 years ago should have been balanced by the other strokes in 50m by now.
Adriel Natan
Pippy Rocliffe
Maaike Van Willegen Sasha Duncan Kasia Kotowska Danny Moon Shea Huntington
Wow, racing a 1500…
what’s 50s stroke
50s of other strokes
ohhh 50s i thought it meant 50 seconds wtf
50’s
Why would they not have the 50 sprints tho…?
idk they only have the freestyle as of rn
Well thats unfair..
This is ALL about morning finals and evening prelims (again). The global animosity (and hatred) is still simmering in Europe and around the world foir NBC Beijing Morning Finals, NBC Rio Midnight Finals and now the warm-up to Tokyo Morning Finals.
The strategy is to demand “more” events in exchange for Tokyo Morning Finals to appear to be seen as “reasonable,” “a trade,” etc. FINA was over ridden by the IOC and NBC on both Beijing and Rio. The athletes’ voice, the coaches who opposed the midnight and morning finals, the national federations and democratic principles don’t matter.
This is all about one country’s television network commercially abusing the athletes and upending the sport to place maximized profit first over the welfare of the athletes and the integrity of sport.
For the please of one country (the USA) to benefit and highlight their own Team USA so viewers can sit and watch swimmining finals in the evening prime time in the USA, 9-11 hours behind- in a completely different DAY!
Mackenzie Holden stoke 50s….
Laura Riddell what do you think?
From a coaching perspective, not a huge fan of adding the 50’s -However, the distance events would be great, showing who really is up for the challenge. But from a marketing perspective, very few non swimming fans will want to watch more distance and will enjoy the glamour of the 50 splash and dashes
Less sprints, more distance! ?
no, too boring for the general public
Simon-Pierre Bélanger
Shawn A. Wilson
I’m all for the 800 and 1500 for both genders but that’s all. Swimming is popular in the Olympics already
Peter Scott nailed it!! $$$$
Do it! And add a 200 free relay as well- would be the most exciting event of the Olympic swimming competition.
Super fast too
Mixed relays will be a very nice atractive to the general public.
Samuel Stewart
Yesssss!!!
This is great . Why the other 50s has not made the olympic schedule?Anybody knows the official reason ?
Clean up the sport