The International Swimming Hall of Fame's film and video archive, which dates to the 1920's, is the most extensive and comprehensive in the world. As we continue to preserve and transfer footage from film to DVD, we will be adding to the virtual archive so that historic events from aquatic history can be enjoyed throughout the world.
FINA HISTORY
Although swimming was included in the Olympie programme from the very first Games of the modern era in 1896 in Athens, the Federation Internationale de Natation was only founded a few years later, on the 19th of July 1908, on the occasion of the Olympie Cames in London under the name «Fédération Internationale de Natation Amateur». This name was maintained until 2000. Its main goal was to unify regulations and to no longer aIIow the organizing
countries of the Cames to impose their own rules. A Briton, Ceorge W. Hearn, at that time president of the «Amateur SwimmingAssociation», became the first person in char ge with the title of Honorary Secretary/Treasurer. His number one objective consisted in codifying the Olympie events in swimming, diving and water polo. Ever since then, FINA has always endeavoured to promote interna tional competitions with rules accepted by aIl.
