FINA signed today a contract for a new four-year partnership agreement with the world renowned Swiss watch brand OMEGA, a company of the Swatch Group.

The landmark agreement was signed at a press conference during the first day of the last meet of FINA Swimming World Cup 2001/2002 by Mr. Stephen Urquhart, President of OMEGA Ltd. and Mustapha Larfaoui, President of FINA in the presence of Mr Bartolo Consolo, Honorary Secretary of FINA, Dr Julio Maglione, Honorary Treasurer of FINA, Mr Cornel Marculescu, Executive Director of FINA and Mr Peter Hurzeler, Vice-President of Swiss Timing.

‘This partnership between FINA and OMEGA in the domain of timekeeping and – more and more important – in the data handling services will allow us to enhance our activities by taking advantage of our mutual experience’, considered FINA President Mustapha Larfaoui.

OMEGA President Stephen Urquhart also underlined the importance of this co-operation. ‘OMEGA’s unparalleled experience in the field of sports timekeeping dates back over 100 years and has seen numerous innovations and world firsts in the field, such as the now indispensable touch pads’.

FINA has recently developed a new long-term marketing strategy for its major competitions, the FINA World Championships (long course) and the FINA World Swimming Championships in 25-metre pools. FINA’s agreement with OMEGA represents its first long-term marketing partnership and more importantly will bring into the organisation of these events a world leader in the field of sports timing and data handling.

This partnership between FINA and OMEGA will also bring a major boost to the following of the World Championships via the Internet. The success of the ‘live timing’ concept developed by OMEGA, where real-time results can be called up on the Internet, enables swimming fans worldwide to view live race times and, thanks to an exclusive new function, will allow simultaneous comparison between the live times and world record times.

FINA and OMEGA have partnered for the following competitions:

* 6th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m.) 3-7 April 2002, Moscow, Russia
* 7th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m.) 7-10 October 2004, Indianapolis, USA

* 10th FINA World Championships 15-27 July 2003, Barcelona, Spain
* 11th FINA World Championships 17-31 July 2005, Montreal, Canada
* The FINA Swimming World Cup 2001-2002.

Visit the following web sites for further information on FINA and OMEGA:

www.fina.org

www.omegawatches.com