The world swimming federation wants to move from the Olympic hometown in Switzerland to Hungary
LAUSANNE, Switzerland —
The swimming governing body announced on Friday that it intends to leave the hometown of the Olympic Games in Switzerland and move its headquarters to Hungary.
World Aquatics has signed a working agreement with officials from Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government in Budapest.
Budapest hosted the World Aquatics Championships in 2017 and 2022 and is set to host it again in 2027. It also houses offices for the governing bodies of the Olympic sports of judo and weightlifting.
“Hungary has repeatedly proven to be a wonderful host for our sport and our athletes,” World Aquatics President Husain al-Musallam said in a statement, adding that the governing body “remains genuinely grateful for this.”
In 2018, the World Swimming Federation, then known by its French acronym FINA, celebrated its 110th anniversary by inaugurating a new headquarters in Lausanne, on a hillside street next to the Swiss Supreme Court. The 19th-century villa has been expanded to include modern offices.
World Aquatics announced on Friday that it operates “several development centers around the world” – including in Russia, Senegal and Thailand – and Budapest “has dedicated aquatic training and competition facilities”.
Media in Budapest reported that World Aquatics aims to fill half of its staff there with Hungarians.
The swimming organization was founded in London in 1908 and moved to Lausanne in 1986.
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