BRITISH SWIMMING Annual Report and Accounts 2004 October 2002 - March 2004 Contents 2 Chairman’s Report 4 Chief Executive’s Report 6 National Performance Director’s Report 8 British Short Course Championships 10 European Short Course Championships 11 FINA World Cup 2002/2003 12 British Long Course Championships 15 European Youth Olympic Festival 16 European Junior Swimming Championships 17 European Short Course Championships 18 World Swimming Championships 20 British Short Course Championships 22 Diving 23 GB Diving Championships 24 European Junior Diving Championships British Diving Championships 25 Diving World Championships 26 Diving World Cup 27 Synchronised Swimming 28 Disability Swimming 30 Water Polo 32 Open Water 35 Masters 36 British Swimming Medical Advisory Committee 38 Amateur Swimming Federation of Great Britain British Swimming Limited: Report and Financial Statements Harold Fern House 46 High Performance Swimming Limited: Derby Square Report and Financial Statements Loughborough 52 Sponsors and Acknowledgements Leicestershire LE11 5AL 1 Chairman’s Report A period of progress and achievement Chris Baillieu Chairman Prior to the last Annual General with medal-winning distinction. Neither talent to support the national Meeting, held in March 2003, it was water polo nor synchronised swimming performance directors. The Board decided that ASFGB’s financial year was competitive in world terms. Logically have delegated responsibility to (and that of its wholly-owned subsidiary therefore, the primary focus of the these committees to oversee budgets HPS Ltd) should be the same as that of Board had to be performance in the and make key decisions on behalf of our funding partners at UK Sport and pool, and every step has been taken to their disciplines. Sport England. The importance of the try and ensure success in that arena. four-year Olympic cycle and the move 3. The Board’s commitment to ensuring to UK Sport’s new process of ‘one-stop British Swimming was fortunate in these that resulting changes to training planning’ was also an important circumstances to secure a continuation methods, competition programmes influence. This report therefore covers of funding for the swimming and diving and coach education were supported, the 18-month period from October 2002 programmes, from our principle funding co-ordinated, and carried through. to March 2004, and the achievements of partners at UK Sport, that was only the period, both in the water and out marginally less than the sum received Much remains to be done, and the of it, are fully described by the Chief for the previous Olympic cycle. momentum achieved over the last Executive and performance directors four years must be maintained if we in subsequent pages. These reports The key to revitalising British swimming are to succeed in transforming Great demonstrate the excellent progress was the acceptance by all disciplines Britain into one of the strongest made in the build-up to the Athens of the need to change the prevailing swimming nations in the world with Olympics, and the performance of culture by dramatically raising standards, commensurate international influence. the Board will be judged against this and the determination of the Board to Success in Athens can help us achieve benchmark when it retires at the next ensure this process was completed. The this objective by boosting grass roots annual meeting, that will be held on Board’s strategic plan included three key support and enthusiasm for swimming. November 13, 2004. Against this components which have underpinned Sponsorship income may also become background it may be helpful to recent success in all disciplines at the easier to obtain. It should also help flag up some of the challenges faced world and European championships: to strengthen the case for increased by British Swimming over the last financial support from UK Sport and four years. 1. The identification and recruitment Sport England. The exact level of this of national performance directors support will not be resolved until after The swimming and diving teams had with the vision and ability to the Olympics, but British Swimming returned from the Sydney Olympic implement changes. needs to secure additional investment Games with no medals and just five if we are to prosper in the years ahead individual finalists and it was only the 2. The creation of technical committees and in particular to develop the talent Paralympic team that had competed composed of the best coaching in time for the Olympic Games that 2 Chairman’s Report could be held in London in 2012. forged a strong relationship with the Priorities include increasing the supply Board, which has been a key factor in of home-grown world class coaches, delivering a robust performance across and ensuring that competitors can gain the full range of the Board’s activities. affordable access to 50m pools and top Thanks also to all the excellent staff class training facilities throughout the employed by both British Swimming and country. At present less than 40 per cent the ASA, without whose commitment of our Olympic team have daily access and enthusiasm British Swimming to a 50m pool. How much more could could not continue to prosper. be achieved if this figure was 100 per cent? Finally, thanks to the Board who have worked so consistently towards our During the last 18 months the Board agreed goals for the last four years. has held meetings in all the home Earlier this year the Board was greatly countries, and I would like to thank saddened by the death of Jeff Cook Scotland and Wales for their hospitality shortly after the completion of his and commitment and support for the year as ASA President. However we common Vision of Swimming that was welcomed the appointment of Guy agreed and published during this period. Davis as a new independent member Our relationships with our funding with a background in investment partners at UK Sport and Sport England banking and competitive masters have also matured as swimming has swimming. demonstrated an ability to deliver what it promises. Let us all hope that by the time this report is published British swimmers I would like to add a special word and divers will have enjoyed the of thanks to David Sparkes, the Chief revival of fortunes in Athens they Executive, who has been the architect richly deserve. of many of the changes I have mentioned, and who has worked ceaselessly to ensure their implementation. He has ‘Less than 40 per cent of our Olympic team have access to a 50m pool’ 3 Chief Executive Commitment, change and focus The commitment from Scotland, A new appointment of Nick Hume England and Wales to work together to lead the water polo programme on this single objective has been a has brought about a new focus – model for other sports and must be a focus on success, hard work and reflected in this report, as the level training, and less competition, and of working together cannot be over the Board have been impressed by emphasised. We have begun the Nick’s commitment to achieve great hard task now of pulling together success for British Water Polo which our Corporate Plans into Swimming’s is long overdue. Strategic Plan under the UK Sport ‘One Stop Planning’ initiative and In synchronised swimming Adele the co-operation from the three Carlsen has taken over to lead that home countries to work together is programme. While there has been no encouraging. This co-operation is success yet, she has brought about a David Sparkes Chief Executive also extended to our work on the new, harder-working attitude and we National Coaching Certificate, which are now embarking on a four-year plan arises out of the Government’s work with the sole objective of achieving This report spans an 18-month on the Coaching Task Force, where Olympic Games qualification standard period and it seems a lifetime ago we are working towards developing for the duet in 2008. since the last British Swimming Report a teacher/coach education system with was presented to the membership, quality delivery. This will be the envy The work of British Swimming, however, reflecting at that time on a successful of the world and will deliver coaches is not only in the performance arena Commonwealth Games in Manchester to ensure continuous success for many but is also in the international influence for British Swimming. At that time we were looking forward to the Olympic years to come. In addition to this, we arena. We have continued to use our and Paralympic Games in Athens 2004 have also worked together on the best endeavours to influence LEN, FINA and as we commit to writing this report modernisation of British Swimming and the IPC and have begun again to we are on the eve of these events, the and the home countries, supported re-focus our long term international culmination of four years’ hard work by UK Sport through its modernisation events strategy and to ensure that by a tremendously dedicated and programme. This has not been an Great Britain continues to influence professional team which has been easy programme and has not been policies within the world of swimming. built around British Swimming with without its difficulties but we have We will once again be the host to the one sole purpose – to succeed in the made a significant step forward. LEN Congress in London in September Olympic and Paralympic arena, the We are beginning to improve our 2004, and in March 2005 we will be most difficult arena for any athlete communication with the membership hosting a FINA Television and Media from whatever sport. and drive down costs within the sport, Congress, also in London.