Dale Neuburger, the highest-ranking American in international aquatic sports, visited Western New England University February 17 as part of the Center for International Sport Business (CISB) “For the Love of the Games” speaker series. The event was made possible through sustained underwriting support of the Western New England University Alumni Association. He is pictured being presented with a University sweatshirt from Director of Alumni Relations Kathy Pappas G’98.
Neuburger is vice president of FINA, the international federation for aquatic sports responsible for staging six disciplines; swimming, diving, water polo, synchronized swimming, open water, and high diving – at the Olympic Games.
He spent a full hour talking about Rio de Janeiro’s state of preparations for the 2016 Olympic Games, the full-body swimsuits that have been banned since 2010, Brazil’s Zika-virus crisis, FINA sponsors and revenue streams, the USA Olympic Swimming Teams’ medal productivity, and he answered students’ questions in a lively exchange.
“I learned from Mr. Neuburger that FINA must approve all technical swimsuits used in competition based on many various aspects but most importantly the material it's made from,” said sophomore Janelle Lief. “Olympic swimmers can only compete in technical swimsuits that have been approved to ensure that it is the swimmer who earned the medal and not the swimsuit.”
Neuburger swam at Williston Academy (now Williston Northampton School) and Princeton University before embarking on a long career in aquatic sports that began as manager of the Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis natatorium. He served as president of USA Swimming and chair of the International Swimming Hall of Fame, in addition to being president of U.S. Aquatic Sports and UANA, the aquatics confederation in the Western Hemisphere.
