Funding shortfall puts Basel European Swimming Championships at risk

The European Swimming Championships planned for Basel in December are at risk because around 2 million Swiss francs is still missing from the 7.8 million-franc budget, SRF reported.

Ewen Cameron, president of the Swiss swimming federation Swiss Aquatics, said organisers need a commitment of around 1.2 million francs by the end of September. If the financing cannot be secured, the championships will be awarded to another country.

Organisers have stepped up their fundraising efforts and are approaching potential sponsors at executive level together with the European swimming federation’s main sponsor. They are also seeking funding beyond Switzerland, as many visitors are expected from the Baden region and Alsace.

Cameron said fundraising was difficult because swimming is a niche sport for many companies and does not match their target groups. He also cited a lack of broader interest in the sport.

Organisers are now highlighting swimming’s role in health and drowning prevention, areas where Cameron said sponsors showed greater interest.

If the championships are cancelled, the hosting rights will return to the European federation, which would invite other countries to bid. Swiss Aquatics would also face a financial loss because money from its organisational reserves has already been spent and could only be recovered if the event goes ahead.

Cameron also warned that cancelling the championships would damage Switzerland’s image. Switzerland’s Noè Ponti and Roman Mityukov, both Olympic medallists, are currently among the country’s leading swimmers. Ponti recently attracted attention by setting a short-course world record.