Making a stand for ISL

AFTER stinging criticism led by Cate Campbell, world body FINA has moved to appease angry athletes by announcing it will launch the richest swimming event in history.

FINA says it will hold the invitation-only, three-leg Champions Swim Series – boasting $US4 million ($A5.5 million) in prizemoney – between March and May.

But it may be too late for the world body. The sport’s biggest names will assemble in London next week to create a new athletes association they hope will stand up to FINA after the world body blocked swimmers from contesting a proposed professional league.

Australia’s Olympic medallist Madeline Groves and Emily Seebohm will be among a delegation boasting 11 Olympic and 18 world champions seeking to establish a Professional Swimmers Association (PSA).

The athletes believe the PSA will give them a united voice to demand better treatment from FINA after Campbell’s criticism of the world body made national headlines.

Former world champion Campbell ripped into FINA last week for threatening to ban swimmers from the 2020 Olympics if they took part in the proposed International Swimming League (ISL).

Backed by Ukrainian billionaire Konstantin Grigorishin, the lucrative ISL was set to be launched in Italy this month but was scrapped after FINA made the ban threat.

A group of leading swimmers and the ISL are suing FINA as a result, with an aim to relaunch the ISL next year.