Potential distribution of US$4.6 million in a legal settlement may involve swimmer Siobhan Haughey from Hong Kong
World Aquatics Announces Multimillion-Dollar Settlement for Swimmers in Antitrust Lawsuit
World Aquatics, the international governing body for aquatic sports, has announced a settlement of $4.6 million for athletes who participated in the International Swimming League (ISL) events in 2018 and 2019. The settlement comes as a resolution to an antitrust lawsuit filed by three Olympic and world-champion swimmers against the governing body in 2018.
The lawsuit was filed after World Aquatics, then known as Fina, tried to stop the ISL from operating outside its control. The ISL, backed by Ukraine, aimed to offer higher prize money, providing an alternative swimming competition that challenged the traditional structure of swimming competitions.
The swimmers who filed the suit were Katinka Hosszu of Hungary, Tom Shields, and Michael Andrew from the USA. The settlement will be distributed to swimmers who signed contracts to compete at the ISL events in Turin in 2018 and during the 2019 ISL season.
The existence of the ISL had a significant impact on the prize money offered at World Aquatics' world championships and World Cup meetings. In response, the governing body increased prize money for athletes at its own events. This increase can be attributed to the influence of the ISL.
Notably, Hong Kong's Siobhan Haughey competed in the ISL in 2019, winning four races, initially with the DC Trident team and later joining Energy Standard in the following year. Haughey's victories in the ISL were achieved in 2019 and 2020.
It's important to note that the settlement does not affect the current governing structure of swimming competitions. The ISL is not under the direct control of World Aquatics.
World Aquatics made this announcement in a statement on Monday, emphasising their commitment to the athletes and the sport. The settlement marks a significant step towards resolving the antitrust lawsuit and fostering a more competitive and fair swimming environment.
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