Swimming Australia is the peak governing body for competitive swimming in Australia. The body has approximately 100,000 registered members nationally in 1100 clubs across the country, which includes swimmers, coaches, officials, administrators and volunteers. The body oversees the management and development of the sport from the national team at the elite level, the conduct of national and international events, through to grass roots participation.
In 1985, the organisation had approximately 90,000 registered members.[1]
History
Competitive national swimming championships were first held in 1894. Australia had swimmers at most major international swimming events since the 1896 Summer Olympics.[2]
This interest led to the creation of the Amateur Swimming Union of Australia, the precursor to Swimming Australia, which was founded in 1909 at a meeting of state swimming representatives at the Sports Club on Hunter Street in Sydney's CBD. There they established a charter which included the key features of the promotion of uniformity of rules and regulations across Australia; the adjudication all matters of disputes between affiliated associations; the control and management of swimmers visiting Australia; the control and management of Australian representatives in any contest of international nature; and control the recognition of all "best on record" performances.[3]
Within a short time the Amateur Swimming Union of Australia had extended its charter to include negotiation with the recently formed International Swimming Federation (Fédération Internationale de Natation, FINA).
James Taylor was the foundation president and served for the first 35 years of the body's existence from 1909 to 1944.
During 1985, under a new corporate structure, the Amateur Swimming Union of Australia was incorporated in the Australian Capital Territory and became Australian Swimming Inc.
On 1 October 2004, Australian Swimming became a company limited by guarantee and changed its name to Swimming Australia Ltd.[4]Glenn Tasker served as the chief executive officer until June 2008, and the organisation's headquarters is located at Unit 12, 7 Beissel Street, Belconnen, ACT. In 2013, Mark Anderson was appointed CEO.
The Australian Swim Team underwent a rebranding in 2014 and was renamed the Australian Dolphins Swimming Team.
Whilst the following organisations are affiliated with Swimming Australia:
Australian Waterpolo Association Inc
Australian Diving Association Inc
Australian Synchronised Swimming
AUSSI Masters Swimming in Australia
Swimming Australia is also a foundation member of AUSTSWIM and is involved in the development of an Australian Water Safety Organisation.[7]
Sexual abuse allegations
In July 2014 the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, a Royal Commission of inquiry initiated in 2013 by the Australian Government and supported by all of its state governments,[8] began an investigation into the responses of the Offices of the Directors of Public Prosecutions in Queensland and New South Wales to determine whether to prosecute allegations of child sexual assault; the response of Scone Swimming Club to the convictions of Stephen John Roser for indecent assault and for committing acts of indecency against a child; and related matters.[9] Six former students, a number of swimming executives, government officials, Margaret CunneenSC, Anthony Moynihan QC, Nicholas CowderyQC, Lloyd BabbSC, The HonourableJusticeLeanne ClareSC and Paul Rutledge gave evidence or made statements before the Royal Commission.[10] The Royal Commission heard from women who alleged they had been abused as children and that despite informing officials, the alleged perpetrators did not face criminal trial on the basis of recommendations provided by government prosecutors in both New South Wales and Queensland.[11][12] In April 2015 Swimming Australia president John Bertrand issued an apology to former swim students who were victims of sexual abuse.[13]
Allegations against various swimming coaches were reported as first aired in the media up to ten years earlier;[12][14][15] and new cases were alleged following the Royal Commission hearings.[16]
^Department of Sport, Recreation and Tourism; Australian Sport Commission (1985). Australian Sport, a profile. Canberra, Australia: Australian Government Publish Service. p. 187. ISBN0-644-03667-2.
^Department of Sport, Recreation and Tourism; Australian Sport Commission (1985). Australian Sport, a profile. Canberra, Australia: Australian Government Publish Service. p. 186. ISBN0-644-03667-2.
