Men will be able to compete in artistic swimming events at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the International Swimming Federation announced on Thursday, following approval from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
“Men will now be able to participate in the team event,” explained World Aquatics in a statement. Each team of eight members will be able to count “with a maximum of two men”, detailed the federation. Ten teams will compete at the Paris Games.
Artistic swimming, called synchronized swimming until 2017, has been present at the Olympic Games since the Los Angeles-1985 edition, but Paris-2024 will be the first in which men can be part of a team.
At the World Championships, men are already allowed to participate in artistic swimming since 2015.
“It is a day of celebration for those who campaigned for the inclusion of men in this sport at the Olympic Games and for those who pioneered the participation of men,” celebrated World Aquatics.
“The inclusion of men in Olympic artistic swimming was considered an impossible dream. Now, thanks to the perseverance (of the swimmers) and the support of so many people, all athletes can stand side by side equally and aim for Olympic glory”, celebrated Bill May, the first men’s world champion in the mixed doubles event, in 2015, and currently coach.
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