Strong squad heads to European Championships but Commonwealth Games remains the team priority in the build up to a London 2012 home Olympic Games

2010 study commissioned by USA Swimming finds approximately 70% of African American children and 58% of Hispanic children report low or no swimming Ability; risk of drowning is high

Gemma Spofforth, world champion for Britain in the 100m backstroke last year, has used her woman's prerogative: she will, after all, race at the European Championships in Budapest in August

Richard Locke, longtime Secretary of US Virgin Islands Swimming passed away on May 24th in a Gainesville, Florida hospital while waiting for a lung transplant.

Rafa Muñoz, the world 50m 'fly record holder, faces a suspension of up to two years under anti-doping rules that stipulate that all competitors must register their whereabouts with FINA and WADA

John Leonard, director of the American Swimming Coaches Association and co-opted member of the FINA coaches commission, has urged the international federation to desist from asking commercial entities how to run the sport of swimming

The former director of Team USA, Everett Uchiyama, is among the 46 coaches who quit the sport under a cloud or were banned for life by USA Swimming for misconduct, mostly, but not all, for sex-related offenses, in the past 19 years

Australia, swimming paradise, is in danger of taking a similar road to aquatic hell as that which Britain journeyed down many years ago as control of pools passes to people who see no commercial benefit in making champions, The Australian reports

Status of the Sport: at the weekend, suit makers urged FINA to break a promise by President Julio Maglione that the will of Congress on suits in Rome 2009 would prevail until 2013 at the earliest; they want men to be women when it comes to suits and money

Leading US coaches receive recognition from peers: David Salo, David Marsh, Jack Bauerle, Bob Bowman, Jerry Holtrey

The French team will gather for a final camp at Mulhouse before heading to Budapest and the European Championships; Putin hails Salnikov; Britain spending £250,000 on new office fitting; Roma2009 board meet postponed through lack of quorum

Smoke is rising off the water at Auburn in the States - and things are about to get even hotter when sprint emperor Cesar Cielo gets home from home next Monday: check out the troop of talent in coach Brett Hawke's pond

Today marks the 50th birthday of Vladimir Salnikov, the Russian who led the way below 15 minutes over 1,500m back in Moscow 1980 and made a spectacular return to regain the Olympic 30-lap crown in 1988 eight years later

Could news of an extended contract for Paul Biedermann cover a home world championships, now that Dubai has withdrawn from being host of FINA's 2013 showcase?; Hamburg was among bidders to lose out against Dubai

NY Times reports on complaints to US OC against USA Swimming - timing of events favours federation; Brazil add Samba to Canadian tri-meet; delays over settling Roma2009 debt; Scott Talbot heads Auckland centre; Belgian team for Budapest

US star to be paid $100,000 if he races in at least two events at Paris Open in June; "He (Phelps) told us 'I can guarantee you that I'm not coming to France, home of the sprinters, to hide myself away and not compete in the 100m'." - Christian Donze, FFN