>A proposed name change from synchronised to "artistic swimming" has been passed here during the International Swimming >Federation (FINA) Congress despite opposition from the head coach of the world's leading nation.
>The name change is part of a rebranding exercise designed to boost the popularity of the discipline and bring it in to line with >similar events in other sports, such as gymnastics.
>insidethegames has been told that it was proposed following a request from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
>Every reference to "synchronised" in the FINA constitution has been switched for "artistic".
>This begins with clause 3.1, which now reads: "Aquatics - means swimming, open water swimming, diving, high diving, water polo, >artistic swimming and masters programme/activity".
>There is some opposition among athletes and coaches.
>This includes from Russia, which has claimed six out of the eight gold medals won so far at the FINA World Championships.
>"We are negative about the decision," Russian head coach Tatyana Pokrovskaya told Russia's official news agency TASS >following the vote.
>"We were quite satisfied with the former name, because it is primarily a synchronised swimming.
>"I do not know what kind of whim it is, to whom and what the former name was, but it does not change the essence of our sport."
>Synchronised swimming has featured on the Olympic programme since Los Angeles 1984.
>Only women's duet and team events currently take place, although FINA did unsuccessfully propose a mixed duet competition for >inclusion at Tokyo 2020.
>Questions were raised during the Congress over how the change would be implemented before it passed a vote with near-unanimous >support.
>The new name is now expected to be used at all events, including the Olympic Games.
>"While diving events are synchronised, we felt that artistic is a more appropriate name for this event," FINA vice-president >Sam Ramsamy told insidethegames afterwards,
>"It brings it into line with artistic gymnastics and will be better understood by the public and the media.
>"This should help us rebrand and enhance its popularity."
