To LMSC Chairs, USMS House of Delegate members, and other interested parties;

Please be advised USMS has been notified by Orban Mendoza (President of A.S.U.A. /U.A.N.A.) that members who participate in the ALL AMERICAS LatyCar Championships could be subject to suspension for a minimum period of one year according to FINA Rule GR.4.5. FINA GR4 deals with unauthorized relations, the text can be found at www.fina.org/rules/GR/rules_gr1.htm#4.

At this time we do not know definitively what actions, if any, will be taken by FINA, ASUA or LATyCAR.  Dale Neuburger (USAS President and FINA Bureau Vice President), Rob Copeland (USMS President) and other USMS leaders continue to lobby for our members to participate in this event without adverse impact to their eligibility.  However, it is our responsibility to inform our members of possible consequences.  If you know of any of Masters athletes who are registered for this event, please pass this information on to them.  Also, inform your athletes that after conversations with the meet organizer the event will proceed as planned.

We will continue to work towards finding a compromise solution that is in the best interests of USMS and our members.  I will communicate any further developments via follow-up emails.

Rob Copeland
President - United States Masters Swimming

UPDATE - 9/27/05
We just received this from the president of the Brazilian Swimming Federation…

Rio de Janeiro, September 27th., 2005
OUR REF.: OFÍCIO Nº 2332/2005
JGD

MR. ORBAN MENDOZA
UANA
PRESIDENT

Dear Mr. Mendoza,

The Brazilian Swimming Federation just received a fax from Mrs. Aroma Martorell, assuming that the Company “Latycar” does not have any administrative, organizational or finance responsibility on the Master Competition to be held in Sao Paulo – Brazil in October 2005.

Mrs. Martorell confirms that the event will be now namely “All America 2005 – Sao Paulo – Brasil“.

Due to this new attitude taken by Mrs. Aroma Martorell, we herewith confirm that this Confederation officially recognizes this Competition promoted by the São Paulo Swimming Master Association, and therefore the Sao Paulo Swimming Federation will support the Event.

We have already informed this decision to Mr. Cornel Marculescu – FINA Executive Director, and  we kindly ask you to urgently inform this decision to all   Pan American countries.

Yours Faithfully,

COARACY NUNES FILHO
President