Dear Clubs,

RE: 28^th International New Year Winter Swimming Championships

We note that the Hong Kong Life Saving Society will organize the captioned event on 1^st January 2004 at Repulse Bay. Being an affiliated member to the FINA, the Association has the obligation to inform you that we are the sole National Sports Association in governing Swimming, Diving, Water Polo, Synchronized Swimming, Open Water Swimming and Masters in Hong Kong. The fact that the captioned open water event is open to public and it involves international invitation, they must seek prior sanction from the Association where we have informed the organizing party in advance.

The Association, until today, did not receive any application for sanctioning this event and now inform you that according to the FINA General Rule 4.1, “Unauthorised Relations and Misbehavior”, “No Affiliated member shall have any kind of relationship with a non-affiliated or suspended body” and 4.3 “The holding of demonstrations and/or exhibitions, clinics, training, competitions, etc., with non‑affiliated or suspended bodies is not permissible.” Therefore, being a registered member of the Association, you are not allowed to participate in any unauthorized competitions as defined by the Association. Here we explicitly notify you that the captioned event is an unauthorized open water event and registered swimmers shall not participate both in local open event and represent another NSA to participate in international event in the name of Hong Kong in our ASA governing discipline.

Failing to comply with this rule may be subject to disciplinary action imposed by the Association as it thinks fit. Please be informed that according to FINA rule, violating of the above-mentioned rules “shall be suspended by the affiliated Member for a minimum period of one year, up to a maximum period of two years”.

Should you have any inquiry, please feel free to contact the ASA office at 2572 894. Thank you for your kind attention.