The International Swimming Federation has announced a Covid-19 funding package exceeding $6million for the athletes who are to due to compete at the rearranged Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
$4million of this total will go to 160 National Federations in order to support training, competitions and living expenses with $2million being provided to athletes who participate in the FINA Scholarship Programme. The final amount is $460,000 which will be paid to the five Continental Organisations so that athletes are provided with supplemental resources.
The FINA Scholarship Programme will include 100 athletes, 80 swimmers and 20 divers, from countries that do not have an Olympic qualifying standard with them being paid $2000 a month to cover training and living expenses. FINA has set up centres in Senegal, Thailand, Russia and the United States for these 100 athletes to train and be housed at.
FINA has said it “has created and augmented these programmes to express its unwavering commitment to aquatic athletes who continue to endure hardships related to their training and competitive opportunities due to the pandemic.” FINA President Julio Maglione added “The primary objective of this programme is to provide direct assistance to athletes preparing to compete in Tokyo. FINA recognises the importance of support to all athletes, including elite athletes with medal prospects, as well as less experienced athletes from developing countries trying to attain Olympic qualifying standards.”
FINA has become the latest international federation to announce funding for athletes who have experienced a drop in income due to the Covid-19 pandemic and hopes that the package will ensure athletes can compete at the Tokyo Olympics to their full potential.
You can read the FINA statement here.