European Aquatics Medical Committee enjoys productive meeting in Bucharest
The European Aquatics Medical Committee (MC) met in Bucharest on Saturday 12th April 2025 for a highly productive session that brought together thirteen medical professionals from across Europe, both in person and online. Chaired by Dr. Naama Constantini, the meeting welcomed new member Dr. Ralf Schauer and extended thanks to Ewen Cameron, European Aquatics Bureau Liaison, for his ongoing support.
Opening discussions centred around the European Aquatics strategic plan, with Ewen Cameron providing an update from the recent Bureau meeting in Antalya. While final decisions are yet to be confirmed, the committee reaffirmed its alignment with European Aquatics’ overarching objectives and reiterated its readiness to contribute to the organisation’s evolving vision.
Medical coverage at short-format water polo events featured prominently on the agenda. Following a detailed discussion, the committee unanimously agreed that two-day water polo tournaments must have a full medical plan in place, and that a medical delegate should be appointed. The committee also addressed protocol regarding bleeding injuries during matches, clarifying that while the referee holds ultimate authority on whether a player can return to play, the medical delegate should intervene in exceptional circumstances.
The increasing popularity of masters events sparked further conversation around health and safety measures for older athletes. Acknowledging the higher medical risk associated with masters competitions, committee members discussed possible approaches to safeguarding participants, including the use of self-declaration health questionnaires such as the PAR-Q, or even mandatory medical assessments. The committee resolved to investigate this further in collaboration with the Masters Committee before proposing any changes to existing requirements.
Emerging sports were also considered, particularly the growing discipline of ice water swimming, which is under consideration for future inclusion in the Winter Olympic Games. With cold-water swimming already integrated into national programmes in countries like France, the committee agreed to begin gathering medical data to better understand the health implications of this increasingly popular but physically demanding sport.
A strong emphasis was placed on research and innovation. The committee endorsed funding request from the University of Loughborough to support a studies on thermoregulation in open water swimmers. Given the imminent start of the 2025 open water season, members urged swift approval of the funds to enable the research to proceed in Cyprus and subsequent competition legs. Additionally, the committee supported a research initiative from the University of Utah, which will involve a survey of divers at the national team level. European federations will be notified of the project both in advance and during upcoming diving championships.
Before closing, the committee raised a practical point regarding the visibility of medical delegates at events, renewing its request for official branded clothing – specifically red shirts and sweatshirts – to ensure a clear and professional presence on the poolside. The next meeting of the Medical Committee will take place online on Saturday 20 July 2025.
The meeting concluded with thanks to Dr. Marian Anghelescu and the Romanian Swimming Federation headed by Camelia Potec for their warm hospitality and support in hosting the session in Bucharest.
Stephen Stanley for European Aquatics
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