Swimming Australia appoint Chris Fydler OAM as President

Swimming Australia has announced the election of Chris Fydler OAM as its new president, effective immediately. Fydler, a life member of Swimming Australia since 2020, was previously serving on the board as Interim Chair, and his appointment has been positively received within the Australian sporting community.

An Olympic gold medallist and qualified lawyer, Fydler brings extensive experience to the role.

His previous tenure on the Swimming Australia board spanned from 2006 to 2010, and he contributed to FINA’s Disciplinary Panel from 2009 to 2017, as well as its Ethics Panel from 2018 to 2023.

Commenting on the appointment, CEO of Swimming Australia, Rob Woodhouse, said: “I’m delighted with the Board’s appointment of Chris Fydler as President of Swimming Australia.”

“Few people have the breadth and depth of his experience and knowledge across all facets of our sport, having served on committees and boards at club, state, national and international levels.”

Highlighting that Fydler’s permanent appointment will help sustain the momentum of swimming as the sport gears up for the upcoming LA and Brisbane 2032 Olympics.

ASC executive general manager of Sport and Community Capability, Richard McInnes, added: “With Chris in place as President, we look forward to supporting Swimming Australia to flourish both in and out of the water.”

Still actively competing, Fydler plans to participate in the World Masters Championships in July.

He articulated a strong vision for the future of swimming in Australia, emphasising his dedication to providing young Australians the opportunity to realise their potential.

“We have an opportunity to position swimming as the number one sport in Australia.”

“To be a beacon of innovation, commercially secure, and globally recognised as providing sustainable pathways and high-performance results.”

“It is an honour to lead this organisation with the single purpose of inspiring Australia through swimming,” Fydler said.

Furthermore, Fydler held the position of president of Swimming NSW and served as the deputy chef de mission for the Australian Olympic team at both the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games. He also played a significant role on the Board of the NSW Institute of Sport from 2017 to 2023.

Representing Australia from 1989 to 2000 as Dolphin number 375, Fydler achieved gold at major international competitions, including the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championships, and Pan Pacific Championships. Notably, he was part of the gold-medal winning 4x100m freestyle relay team at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) collaborated closely with Swimming Australia’s nominations committee throughout the selection process.

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