PARIS, July 12, 2022 (BSS/AFP) - Swimming's governing body FINA confirmed

on Tuesday that it will hold a World Championships in Qatar in February 2024.

The competition was originally scheduled for 2023 but then provisionally
moved as Covid played havoc with the swimming calendar.

FINA announced that the Qatar championships will run from February 2-18 in
Doha, ending 159 days before the start of the Paris Games on July 26.

It will be the third world championships in 19 months.

The edition originally scheduled for Fukuoka, Japan, in 2021 but postponed
because of the pandemic, will occupy Qatar's original slot in the calendar in
2023, although it will run earlier in the year than usual, from May 13-29.

Since 2001, the world championships have been held in odd-numbered years, but
FINA also added an extra edition in June and July this year in Budapest to
bolster its finances.

Because the Tokyo Olympics were moved back a year to 2021, it means elite
swimmers and divers will have five major championships in three years.

Several leading swimmers, including Australian Olympic stars Ariarne Titmus
and Emma McKeon, opted to skip Budapest.

In Doha, swimming, artistic swimming and water polo will take place in the
Aspire Dome, with the venue transforming from the world's largest indoor
multi-sport arena into the largest indoor aquatics venue.

The diving will be at the Hamad Aquatic Centre with the high diving and open
water swimming competitions set to take place at the nearby Museum of Islamic
Art.