Swimming has always been a part of his life. After representing the State of Kuwait at Pan-Arab, Asian and World Championships, in the mid 1970’s, his competitive swimming career ended at 18, when he enrolled at the Oxford Aviation training school. After receiving his commercial pilot’s license, Al Musallam joined Kuwait Airways but quickly realized how much he missed being involved in sport.
Despite being active with his career and supporting his family, Al Musallam resolved to use his experience to help athletes by taking roles in sports administration, initially at the club level, then at the National Federation with his eventual involvement with the Olympic Committee.
In 1996, Al Musallam joined the FINA Bureau. In 2009, he became FINA Vice President, representing Asia and in 2015, he was elected to First Vice President, becoming a member of its Executive Committee. Then, when he was elected President, in June of 2021, he became the first individual from Asia to lead the organization since its founding in 1908.
In December 2022, Al Musallam, led the FINA Extraordinary Congress into a new future, as FINA officially became inclusive and voted to change its name to World Aquatics. Six months later, Al-Musallam was re-elected as President of World Aquatics in July 2023 for an eight-year term.
President Al Musallam’s vision for the future of aquatic sports around the world is for the world to be united by water for health, life, and sport, so that the world can live a better life, free from modern-day diseases that have spread at a frightening rate and threaten our future generations. Therefore, he says, we strive to preserve our wealth of youth, children, and young people through water.
To learn more about World Aquatics President, Captain Husain Al Musallam‘s story, join him and the other 11 outstanding Honorees who will be inducted this year at ISHOF’s Diamond Anniversary in Singapore! Buy your tickets NOW for ISHOF’s 60th Anniversary of the Honoree Induction Ceremony in Singapore in conjunction with the World Aquatics World Championships
WHEN: Monday, July 28, 2025, 1:00 PM
WHERE: Park Royal Collection, Marina Bay, Singapore
Tickets are NOW ON SALE ~ purchase them HERE!
Buy your tickets NOW for ISHOF’s 60th Anniversary of the Honoree Induction Ceremony
ISHOF Class of 2025
Anthony Ervin (USA) Honor Swimmer
Ryan Lochte (USA) Honor Swimmer
Federica Pellegrini (ITA) Honor Swimmer
Joseph Schooling (SIN) Honor Swimmer
Ous Mellouli (TUN) Honor Open Water Swimmer
Chen Ruolin (CHN) Honor Diver
Endre “Bandi” Molnar (HUN) Honor Water Polo Player
Andrea Fuentes (ESP) Honor Artistic Swimmer
Gregg Troy (USA) Honor Coach
Captain Husain Al Musallam (KUW) Honor Contributor
Sachin Nag* (IND) Honor Pioneer Swimmer
Guo Jingjing (CHN) Honor Diver (Class of 2016)
*deceased
The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) is proud to announce this truly international Class of 2025. This year, ISHOF will induct 12 honorees from nine countries. In addition, ISHOF will be inducting Honorees from four new countries that we have never had Honorees inducted from before, Kuwait, India, Tunisia, and Singapore.