International Swimming Federation (FINA)

The FINA (French: [ERROR IN DISPLAY], English: International Swimming Federation) is the international federation recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for administering international competitions in water sports. It is one of several international federations which administer a given sport or discipline for the IOC and international community. It is based in Lausanne, Switzerland.

FINA currently oversees competition in six aquatics sports: swimming, diving, high diving, artistic swimming, water polo, and open water swimming. FINA also oversees "Masters" competition (for adults) in its disciplines.

History
FINA was founded on 19 July 1908 in the Manchester Hotel in London, UK at the end of the 1908 Summer Olympics by the Belgian, British, Danish, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian and Swedish Swimming Federations.

Number of national federations by year:

1908: 8

1928: 38

1958: 75

1978: 106

1988: 109

2000: 174

2008: 197

2010: 202

2012: 203

2015: 208

2016: 207

2017: 209

Soul Cap
In 2021, FINA came under criticism for not approving the use at the Olympics of the Soul Cap, a brand of swimming caps designed for natural Black hair. FINA said the caps did not fit “the natural form of the head” and to their “best knowledge the athletes competing at the international events never used, neither require … caps of such size and configuration.". After receiving criticism about racism, FINA announced that they would review their decision.