Olympics: Men to compete in artistic swimming from 2024 Games in inclusivity push

Men are set to compete alongside women in artistic swimming at the Olympics from the Paris 2024 Games. REUTERS

PARIS – Men will be allowed to compete in artistic swimming at the Olympics from the Paris 2024 Games, World Aquatics said on Thursday, as part of a drive towards inclusivity hailed by athletes as the realisation of an “impossible dream”.

The sport’s global body said in a statement that each team of eight can have a maximum of two men at the Games, according to the new rules, and 10 teams are set to compete in Paris after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) gave its approval.

Artistic swimming was called synchronised until 2017 and has been part of the Games since 1984.

But while men have competed in artistic swimming at the World Aquatics Championships since 2015, they have not been allowed to participate at the Olympics.

“The inclusion of men in Olympic artistic swimming was once considered the impossible dream,” said American Bill May, 43, the first male world champion in the inaugural mixed duet technical event at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships.

“This proves that we should all dream big. The male athletes have endured.

“Now, through their perseverance and the help and support of so many, all athletes may stand alongside each other equally, reaching for Olympic glory.”

May, who is now a coach, has been one of the leading voices in lobbying for this change, as reported by the World Aquatics – formerly Fina – website.

Italy’s Giorgio Minisini, a world champion in the mixed duet technical routine in 2017 and 2022, said that the announcement was a major milestone.

“Our sport’s evolution towards inclusivity is going on fast forward and this decision from the IOC and World Aquatics will help us become an example for the whole Olympic movement,” he said.

“As one of the most popular sports in the Games, we are ready to share the Olympic motto around the world louder than ever: ‘Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together’.”

World Aquatics president Husain Al-Musallam said he is looking forward to the change in Paris.

“Aquatics sports are universal and men have proven themselves to be excellent artistic swimmers. I look forward to seeing this new dimension of artistic swimming being shared with the world in Paris,” he said.

“The inclusion of men in artistic swimming is a great credit to all those who have worked for many years to make this happen.”

Before Thursday’s announcement, the artistic swimming fraternity had been open to the possibility of having men at the Olympics.

US artistic swimming head coach Andrea Fuentes said in November that she would be more than happy to have men in her athlete pool.

She told NBC Sport: “We have males ready to swim, but there are other countries who have not.

“I want inclusion. If I have the opportunity to do it, I will for sure use it.” REUTERS

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.