Hungary’s Hosszu challenges FINA over new rules

BUDAPEST: Hungarian swimmer Katinka Hosszu, a triple Olympic champion at the Rio games last year and a perennial force on professional circuits, called on fellow swimmers on Wednesday to demand a bigger share from the sport’s proceeds.

Hosszu, whose home city of Budapest hosts the World Aquatics Championship next month, spoke up after the international swimming body FINA recently introduced new restrictions to the annual World Cup pro series.

Hosszu has honed her brand for years and cashed in on the pro circuit, raking in dozens of golds and prize money worth $300,000 in each of the past three seasons, while also collecting Olympic and World titles.

“The World Cup has huge potential, but the planned new rule changes are destructive and hypocritical,” Hosszu wrote on her Facebook page.

“These rules are risking the future of our sport.”

She said individuals’ dominance was a fact of life in pro sports and should not be artificially weakened.

“Will the NBA limit one of its biggest stars, LeBron James, in his eighth participation in the big final next year? Will the ATP try to remind (Rafael) Nadal and (Roger) Federer that their time is over?”