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ARTICLE · 20 FEBRUARY 2019

FINA Changes Its Stance After World Champion Swimmers' Antitrust Claims Throw It Into The Deep End

Squire Patton Boggs LLP
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On 15 January 2019, the Fédération Internationale de Natation ("FINA"), the gatekeeper for access to the Olympic Games and World Championships

United KingdomAntitrust/Competition Law
Elsa Haj Houssain
Elsa Haj Houssain
Susannah Bottriell
Susannah Bottriell

On 15 January 2019, the Fédération Internationale de Natation ("FINA"), the gatekeeper for access to the Olympic Games and World Championships, announced that swimmers are now free to participate in race meetings that are organised by independent organisers (which includes those that are neither related to FINA or members of FINA) and will not be banned from competing in major championships as a result of doing so.

This statement comes after three international champion swimmers, Thomas A. Shields (USA), Michael C. Andrew (USA) and Katinka Hosszu (Hungary) filed lawsuits in the Northern District of California on Friday 7 December 2018 against FINA following allegations that FINA boycotted a potential competition by the International Swimming League ("ISL") which was planned to take place in Turin during December 2018. FINA had warned athletes that they may be banned from competing in the Olympics if they competed in the ISL competition.  The swimmers sought

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