More on men's synchronized swimming

In Grantland, Michael Bertin looks at the issue of men's synchronized swimming, including the FGG/London/Paris letter to IOC and FINA:

It was a joke: Martin Short and Harry Shearer were two male synchronized swimmers who had given up everything in their quest for Olympic gold.

It was made all the more ridiculous by the fact that (a) Martin Short couldn't swim and (b) there was no men's event even in the Olympics. And the premise for this Saturday Night Live sketch was so well executed that, almost 30 years later, few people have even bothered to revisit the subject.

But 30 years later men's synchronized swimming is also no longer a joke, which is to say there are men who do it, and they take it seriously. Honest. And, in a bizarre instance of art imitating future life, they want to go to the Olympics.

In June of this year, Paris Aquatique, the London-based club Out to Swim, and the Federation of Gay Games sent a jointly signed letter to ICO President Jacques Rogge and FINA President Julio Maglione appealing for inclusion of men in synchronized swimming at the Olympics. And they are completely not kidding.

From the letter: "[It's] a sport with a long history of men's participation, and which is growing in number and quality of participants. Despite the goals announced by British Olympic authorities to make the 2012 Summer Olympics a place for true equality, men will remain excluded from this discipline in London."

"Growing" is a relative term, and, admittedly, the talent pool isn't that deep. Stephen Adshead, who manages the men's synchro team at OTS, says there are "about 20" men in the U.K. practicing at the club, with "more in France." Moreover, it might seem a little disingenuous for OTS to argue on history, as the club has only been doing synchro since 2010, but when it comes to competing they aren't kidding around. They've got a former Soviet-bloc synchronized swimmer for their coach and have picked up gold medals at the last two EuroGames as well as gold at the last Gay Games.

And the sport's male reach is reasonably international, with competing teams in Italy, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Germany, and Sweden. There is actually a pretty great documentary called Men Who Swim about that very cadre of men in Stockholm who have taken up synchro (highlighted by a scene in which their female coach calls them "pussies" for opting to perform in wetsuits).

Read more about male synchronized swimming on Grantland

Men's synchro swimming at the Olympics

From Gay.net:

With men now presenting bouquets and medals, women punching women in boxing and two women competing for Saudi Arabia (a country that has only allowed male athletes in the past), the London games are one step closer to gender equality.

But two Olympics sports remain closed to men: rhythmic gymnastics and synchronized swimming.

Men's synchronized swimming often conjures up the image of the 1984 Saturday Night Live sketch in which Martin Short and Harry Shearer performed a ridiculously simple and overly dramatic synchronized swimming routine in the shallow end of a pool; two men (one soft-spoken and the other mentally handicapped) with the laughable dream of one day competing in the Olympics.

But in reality, there are men's synchronized swimming teams all around the world.

Keep reading HERE.

FGG/London Angels/Paris Aquatique appeal on ABC News

From ABC News: At the Queen Mother Sports Centre in the heart of London, a group of medal-winning athletes is training for one of the most demanding Olympic competitions-- synchronized swimming. Their sport requires precision, teamwork and stamina.

But no matter how hard they train, no matter how good they are, this team isn't welcome at the 2012 Summer Games, for one simple reason: They're men.

Synchronized swimming was first demonstrated at the Olympics in 1952, and didn't become an official sport until 1984, but then it was only opened to female teams. The Out To Swim Angels are Britain's only male synchronized swimming team. Last month they [with FGG and Paris Aquatique] wrote a letter to the International Olympic Committee and FINA, swimming's governing body, arguing that men deserve to compete in synchronized swimming as well. "There's still this same of sort old mindset. Oh well it's pretty, it's for girls," said team member Ronan Daly. "But no, we want to challenge that and say boys can do this as well." Keep reading HERE.

Gender equity at the Olympics: FGG projects in the news

The Federation of Gay Games has signed the Atlanta Plus Committee's appeal described below (see our posts on Atlanta Plus HERE) and initiated the letter to the IOC and FINA. We are pleased that these issues are getting some attention, and will keep pushing for gender equity and equality in sport! Here's Reuters' story on these issues (with thanks to writeer Belinda Goldsmith):

LONDON (Reuters) - Women boxers have claimed an early victory at the 2012 Olympics by knocking out the last all-male sport but the battle for sex equality at the Games rages on, and not just among women - male synchronized swimmers are also demanding equal rights.

London marks the first Olympics where women will compete in all 26 sports on offer, a major change from Stockholm 100 years ago when women could only participate in five of 110 events.

Campaigners for gender equality acknowledge there has been progress but stress the battle is far from over and the Games must symbolise, reflect and celebrate the dominant beliefs and values of society.

At the London Olympics, running from July 27 until Aug. 12, women are competing in 30 fewer events than men.

A total of 162 gold medals are up for grabs for male competitors while women can win only 132. At the 2008 Beijing Games there were 165 gold medals for men and 127 for women.

Annie Sugier, spokeswoman for the French coordination for the European Women's Lobby, said several women's groups were planning to hold a demonstration in London on July 25 to put seven demands to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) regarding discrimination and segregation.

"The objective of the Olympics is to build a better world through sport but the reality is that we still have all the stereotypes, discrimination, and prostitution around the Games," Sugier told Reuters.

"The Olympics is the right place to enforce change as there is just one law for all. You have the instruments to enforce equality and equality is justice."

OLYMPIC ROLE MODELS

Tackling sex inequality and other forms of discrimination at the Olympics is viewed as critical by campaigners. The Games are a high-profile global event where the same rules apply to all nations and these values can filter into other areas of life.

It is also unique for a sporting event as the audience is fairly evenly split between men and women and therefore a platform for women's sport to be on a par with men's events, to establish women as role models, and to encourage women to take up sport which can be a way to empower and build confidence.

Sugier, who has been campaigning for equality and neutrality at the Olympics for 20 years, said the IOC needed to act more decisively after stating its support for gender equality at the Olympics but so far failing to meet its targets.

In 1996 the IOC set a target to ensure women held 20 percent of the positions in its ruling bodies by 2005 which included the 205 National Olympic Committees and the 35 Olympic International Olympic Sports Federations.

This has not been met, and Sugier says women on average only hold about 10 percent of these positions. Some of the National Olympic Committees have no women.

The board of the London Organising Committee, LOCOG, has only one woman among its 19 members, former Olympian Princess Anne, while the IOC has 20 women among its 105 members which falls just short of the 20 percent.

"With so few women serving in leadership positions and a lack of commitment among the male-dominated leadership, there has been little progress on supporting women as athletes and leaders," said sports historian Dr Maureen Smith from California State University in a report for the U.S.-based Women's Sports Foundation, founded by Billie Jean King in 1974.

She said this lack of commitment started at grassroots and was typical of developmental levels all the way to the upper echelons of competitive Olympic and Paralympic sport.

The gender gap has narrowed. At Beijing there was 4,746 women competitors which was a record 42 percent of the total.

But this was despite IOC President Jacques Rogge in 2004 stating that: "our ultimate goal must be 50-50 participation." He did not, however, set a clear date for this proportion.

"No time deadline has been set but we would hope that London will see the highest percentage of female participation in history," said IOC spokeswoman Emmanuelle Moreau.

MEN CALL FOR EQUALITY

Smith said certain sports were getting better when it came to gender balance and for some countries this was not an issue at all.

"Some countries don't care if it is a man or a woman winning. They just care about winning the medal. But there is still some way to go," Smith told Reuters.

At the Beijing Olympics, three countries did not bring women athletes but this has changed for London as the Muslim nations of Qatar and Brunei will include women competitors in their teams for the first time.

The final country to forbid women to compete, Saudi Arabia, last month bowed to pressure from the IOC and said it would allow women who qualify to compete at the London Games.

It has yet to name any female athletes who will represent the Middle Eastern kingdom.
Sports historians said the changes at the Olympics reflected the overall changes in society since the start of the modern Olympics in Athens 1896 when no women were allowed to compete.

Women first appeared at the Olympics in Paris in 1900, competing in golf and tennis, but were excluded from track and field competitions until 1928 when the longest race was the 800 metres.

Several women collapsed in exhaustion during the race and then IOC President, Count Henri Baillet-Latour, even suggested ruling out all women competitors from the Games.

Clearly this did not happen but the women's 800 metres did not reappear until 1960. Women were not allowed to run the marathon until 1984.

Tim Woodhouse, head of policy at the Women's Sports and Fitness Foundation, said a number of sports were seen to put women's health and their fertility at risk.

"Amazingly it was not until the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s that these myths were debunked," said Woodhouse, whose foundation is a UK charity that aims to make women active and confident.

In the United States, the 1972 legislation Title IX, which prohibited gender discrimination in educational programs, had a massive impact on women participating in sports at colleges and high schools.

As well as the debut of women boxers in London, the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, will see women being allowed for the first time to compete in ski jumping. The Nordic combined events at Sochi, however, will only be contested by men.

"The addition of these sports, including boxing at London, is a really positive step forward but there is still a big disparity in other sports," said Woodhouse.

The IOC should consider including some sports which were more women based, such as netball, if it really wanted to resolve the issue, he added, and there was still major discrepancies in numbers in canoeing, rowing, wrestling, weight lifting and judo.

"These numbers need to be worked on and it takes leadership from the IOC to push that agenda," he said.

But it is not just women who want equality.
Men have called for action after being ruled out from competing at two events at the Summer Olympics, synchronised swimming and rhythmic gymnastics, even though there are growing numbers of men participating in both sports.

A lobby group of male synchronised swimmers wrote to the IOC and swimming's governing body FINA in June to argue that men should no longer be excluded from this event at the Olympics.

The group, which includes the London swimming group Out To Swim, said this was gender discrimination despite the Olympic Charter condemning any discrimination regarding race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise.

"For the most part, this discrimination has affected women athletes, and great progress has been made in this area. But in at least one sport, it is men who are victims of this discrimination, which is no less intolerable than that aimed at women," said the letter.

Stephen Adshead, manager of the Out to Swim Angels synchronised swimming team that was set up three years ago, said this was "blatant inequality and unfair."

"We realise it is too late for men synchronised swimmers at London but we would like to have a serious discussion with the IOC after the Games as there is no reason why there can't be gender equality in all sports," Adshead told Reuters.

The Federation of Gay Games and London and Paris synchronized swimming clubs appeal to IOC and FINA for equal treatment

We are writing to remind you of the principles of the Olympic Charter which state that “any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement.”

Despite this noble principle, the Olympics continue to see discrimination between men and women in regard to the disciplines proposed to athletes. For the most part, this discrimination has affected women athletes, and great progress has been made in this area. But in at least one sport, it is men who are victims of this discrimination, which is no less intolerable than that aimed at women.

We are speaking of synchronized swimming, a sport with a long history of men's participation, and which is growing in number and quality of participants.

Despite the goals announced by British Olympic authorities to make the 2012 Summer Olympics a place for true equality, men will remain excluded from this discipline in London.

We are calling on you to act promptly to offer men synchronized swimmers the opportunity to compete – or at the very least participate in some fashion, in this summer's Olympic Games, to plan for full participation of men at future Olympics, and to open FINA international championships to men.

Out to Swim synchro team asks why men are barred from 2012 Olympics

From The Independent:

At a central London sports centre, six hairy legs emerge from a swimming pool in time to a beat before coquettishly disappearing again. This is Britain's only men's synchronised swimming team – the Out to Swim Angels – and they want to know why men are barred from the sport at the Olympics.

The group of men in sequinned trunks has set out to disprove claims that this year's Olympic Games has broken down the last bastion of sporting sexism. London 2012 organisers claimed this would be the first Games which made all sports available to men and women, but the Angels disagree. Men are still barred from competing in synchronised swimming, despite the fact that members of the team have won international events at the highest level.

Last year the Angels took home a gold medal at the Eurogames in Rotterdam, but they want the next generation to have a chance at Olympic glory. Richard Snow, 34, an interior designer and founder member of the team, said: "Originally there weren't many sports women could compete in, so having synchro for women only was about letting them have more sports [of their own]. But times have moved on and the rules should be reversed. I feel sad that men can't compete. Bit by bit we hope we can break down the barrier for men. Hopefully that will mean teams start including boys from a young age."

Keep reading HERE.

Paris Aquatique featured in Sensitif

Photos from the Aquafolies, a fun pool event in which FSGL and IGLA member club Paris Aquatique takes on teams from other FSGL clubs in synchro swimming and other activities, are featured in the latest issue of gay magazine Sensitif, along with a report on the performance of Paris Aquatique swimmings in the French national masters championships, from which the club brought back 15 medals.

Find the stories HERE.

Reactions to the exclusion of men from international synchronized swimming

The issue of the ban on men in international synchronized swimming competitions has generated some reactions:

Shamey Cramer, who is a delegate from the FGG at the IOC Women and Sport conference currently underway in Los Angeles, writes:

It was noted at the Women and Sport conference tonight that Synchro Swimming will be the ONLY sport that does not have gender equity at the London 2012 Summer Olympic Games. Very sad statement, indeed -- even women Olympians and administrators are confounded by FINA's old-world stubbornness.

We published the following on Le Nouvel Observateur' article:

The paradox is that LGBT sport is often accused of creating "ghettos". But with a few regrettable exceptions (in particular in the USA, in men's softball and men's flag football), the fundamental principle of LGBT sport is openness, in the spirit of the Olympic charter's commitment to "sport for all".

With Synchronized Swimming, we see a strong example of this principle. A man who wants to practice this sport internationally can only do so in LGBT competitions such as the Gay Games or IGLA international championships.

Events like the Gay Games are a laboratory for innovation and openness in sport, one that goes beyond the issue of men's participation in synchronized swimming. They included women's wrestling years before the sport joined the Olympics, and include same-sex pairs in sports like dancesport, figure skating and bodybuilding, where mainstream sport continues to reject them.

A message to the Olympic movement, including FINA: to respect the universality of your Charter, stop sex discrimination, react to the exclusion of women from sport in the name of "tradition", maintain the protection of women's participation from religious pressure.


Le paradoxe c'est que le sport LGBT est souvent accusé de créer des "ghettos". Or, avec quelques regrettables exceptions (notamment aux Etats Unis lors des championnats de softball gay et de football américain), le principe de base du sport LGBT est l'ouverture, selon le principe olympique du "sport pour tous".

Avec la natation synchronisée nous voyons une manifestation forte de ce principe : un homme qui veut pratiquer ce sport au niveau international ne peut le faire que dans des compétitions LGBT, comme les Gay Games ou les championnats de la fédération affinitaire IGLA.

Des évènements comme les Gay Games sont un laboratoire pour l'innovation et l'ouverture dans le sport qui dépasse la participation masculine à la natation synchronisée. On y a trouvé la lutte féminine de nombreuses années avant qu'elle n'entre aux JO, on y trouve des couples du même sexe dans des sports comme la danse sportive, le patinage artistique, et le culturisme, des sports où cette formule reste interdite dans des compétitions "normales".

Un message du sport LGBT au grand mouvement olympique, dont fait partie FINA : pour respecter le message d'universalité de votre charte, arrêter la discrimination du genre, réagir à l'exclusion des femmes au nom de la tradition, maintenir la protection de la participation féminine de pressions religieuses.

En français / Tribune sur l'exclusion des hommes de la natation syncrhonisée

Après le reportage dans Métro, le Nouvel observateur publie une tribune d'un nageur de Paris Aquatique sur l'interdiction édictée par FINA à la participation de nageurs masculins aux compétitions internationales de natation synchronisée :

Est-il normal, en 2012, que l’accès aux compétitions d’un sport ou d’un autre soit encore limité à un seul sexe ?

Nombreux sont les exemples au sein du milieu sportif, où les femmes doivent se battre pour trouver leur place au niveau international. Mais elles ne sont pas les seules !

Chorégraphie de l'équipe masculine de natation synchronisée , 2 octobre 2011 , Paris Aquatique

Nous sommes des hommes nageurs de natation synchronisée et interdits de participation aux compétitions organisées par la FINA (Fédération Internationale de Natation Amateur).

Les efforts et les progrès de la section créée en 1998 au sein de mon club, "Paris Aquatique", ont su convaincre la FFN (Fédération Française de Natation) de notre entière légitimité dans ce sport. Depuis la modification du règlement national en 2005, les ballets entièrement masculins sont acceptés en compétitions et intégrés au classement. Les podiums sont séparés dès qu’il y a au moins 4 équipes du même sexe par catégorie.

Continuer à lire ICI.

More on the exclusion of men from international syncrhonized swimming

Jean-Philippe Franqueville, a swimmer from Paris Aquatique, a member club of Paris Aquatique, a member club of FGG member organizations FSGL and IGLA, has recently been invited to write on the website of noted French newsmagazine Le Nouvel Observateur on the exclusion of men from international synchronized swimming competitions.


Here is a summary of his piece:

There are many sports where women are fighting for a place in international sports competition, but they’re not alone.

It is thanks to the efforts of the synchronized swimming team of Paris Aquatique that the French federation modified its rules in 2005 to accept male teams. And if there are at least four teams of a gender in the event, separate rankings are made.

While the originality of our performances pleases spectators and fans, we face a great deal of prejudice from many, in particular with regard to the artistic element of the sport. Many swimmers can become discouraged by the mocking of male synchronized swimmers.

We bring “masculinity” to our performances, through the power of our movements, the themes of our ballets, and our musical choices. We don’t mimic women swimmers: we use the same techniques to produce a different result.

Men can only reach the highest level if they begin young. But until the sport is truly open to men, this will not be possible.

We asked the IOC to allow us to do a demonstration at the London Olympics, a request that was refused;

The rules of FINA do not in fact ban men, and refer only to “competitors”. But when we try to register online for competitions, as soon as we identify ourselves as men, the option “synchronized swimming” disappears from the options;

Other countries are changing their rules and several male teams now exist. But FINA refuses to budge. This is odd, since the sport was created by men, and only spread later to women.

Why won't you be seeing any male synchronized swimmers in London this summer?

As we reported HERE, French daily paper Métro devoted a long article on the refusal of FINA to accept male swimmers in international synchronized swimming competitions. Here is a summary of the article which focuses on Paris Aquatique, a member club of FGG member organizations FSGL and IGLA: 

There is only one male synchronized swimming team in France, that of Paris Aquatique. They can compete in French national competitions, but are barred from international events, including the Olympics.

Christian Bordeleau (FGG sports coordinator for synchronized swimming) protests: Why is it considered a women's sport? Because it's artistic. You have to be a bit open minded to understand that an artistic sport can be practiced by men.

The best male French swimmers are ranked 11th nationally in duet. American swimmer Kenyon Smith and German swimmer Niklas Stoepel do have an international level.

The national technical advisor for the sport claims that the issue is one of a lack of sufficient participants: it's not possible to have international competitions until the sport is practiced by men in more countries.

Male swimmers admit that there are too few men to compete in a men's division, and are pushing for mixed-gender competitions, like those that take place nationally. FINA remains closed to the idea, which the Paris Aquatique trainer claims is pure discrimination.

While FINA rules speak of “swimmers”, without a reference to gender, forms and competitions remain closed to men.

With regard to the artistic nature of the sport, the men point out that while they may be less “graceful” than women, they offer other qualities, including strength. Some coaches appreciate the originality male swimmers can offer. They note that mixed-gender events take place in sports like figure skating, tennis, shooting, equestrian, etc.

En français / Les nageurs synchronisés exclus des JO

Le quotidien Métro consacre un long article au refus de FINA d'accepter des sportifs masculins dans les compétitions internationales de natation synchronisée, à travers un regard sur Paris Aquatique, le club membre de la FSGL et d'IGLA, tous deux des membres de la FGG : 


Dans l’eau, les visages ne sont pas maquillés et les jambes pas vraiment épilées. Trois fois par semaine, ce sont bien des hommes qui enchaînent les portés, positions du flamand rose ou du voilier dans un coin de la piscine Vallerey à Paris. Sur la bande originale de «Pirates des Caraïbes», une dizaine de nageurs se plient aux instructions d'Isabelle Girault, l’entraîneur de l’unique ballet masculin de natation synchronisée français. Sur les 260.000 licenciés de la FFN, ils sont une poignée de passionnés «peut-être une trentaine à tout casser», glisse le coach, à pratiquer cette discipline phagocytée par les filles. Au niveau national, rien n’interdit les hommes de participer aux compétitions élites. En revanche, les portes leur sont fermées à l’échelon supérieur, ce qui les prive d’office de sélection pour des Mondiaux et les JO.

Continuer à lire ICI.

22 April 2011 / SYNCHRO from QueerSport LAB

All info on this event can be found HERE.

Immerse yourself in the underwater world of synchronized swimmers. The night before the opening of Pièce de Résistance is dedicated to the social and aesthetic appeal, the queer character and political agenda of male synchronized swimming. Documentaries, discussion and performances. Please RSVP.

18:00 - 20:30 Two documentaries
Between 18:00 - 20:30 we'll be showing two documentaries. 
"Men Who Swim Together" (2010) is a Swedish-British film by Dylan Williams, and French director Louis Dupont made the wonderful "Les Garçons de la Piscine" (2009).

20:30 - 21:30 Debate
A panel discussion will start at 20:30, consisting of Christian Bordeleau (synchronized swimmer), Adham Hafex (choreographer and artist), Renaud Barral (synchronized swimmer) and Zeljko Blace (artist, researcher and activist). A video installation by Malak Helmy will be shown, as well as a performance by Goran Turnsek: "Waterbeest" ("Beast of the Water").

21:30 - 24:00 Audio-visual performance
by Volksmenner DDR & VJ Warschau


More information
Doors open at 17:30. Program starts at 18:00. Location: Mediamatic Bank, Vijzelstraat 68, Amsterdam. This event is part of Pièce de Résistance, an exhibition and laboratory. Become a researcher and contribute to a large archive of stories and objects of resistance. Entrance fee is € 5,-, students are subject to a 50% discount, 65+ gets in for free.

In collaboration with Upstream Amsterdam and Men's Cup.

En français: Reportage sur la natation synchronisée chez Paris Aquatique

Un reportage vidéo sur l'équipe de natation synchro de Paris Aquatic, club member de la FSGL et de l'IGLA:

Tsunami synchro pairs at Gay Games VIII

Michele Kraus and Bob Wheeler of San Francisco Tsunami swim club.

Live from Cologne - Video of fantastic French men's synchronized swim performance

The French team at the 2010 Gay Games got great reviews for uniforms, friendliness, and - yes - all around good looks. But their athletic performances were also stellar, as evidenced by this brilliant synchronized swimming performance by men from Paris Aquatique. Enjoy!