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Criteria

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Honorees for the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (IMSHOF)

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  1. Honor Swimmer

  2. Honor Contributor:  Administrator, Organization, Coach or Pilot.  These are the dedicated personnel that assist in various functions to support and develop the sport of Marathon Swimming. Their contribution should be made over a period of years, and be truly outstanding. All nominations can include a reference to: Inspirational, Disabilities, Safety, Other contributions to the sport or society, etc.

  3. IMSHOF only allows individuals to be inducted under one category.   As a result many Honor Swimmers (for example) who later contribute for decades as administrators and/or coach are not honored again.

 

Awards from the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF)

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  1. ISHOF: The Irving Davids/Captain Roger W. Wheeler Memorial Award

    This award recognizes contributors to the administration of open water swimming to the world. Nominees must have generally made a major contribution at the international level to marathon swimming. Mere long term service by a nominee is insufficient.
     

  2. ISHOF: The Poseidon Award This award recognizes high-level achievement from personal effort or initiative in a field of endeavor that contributes to the performance of marathon swimmers, or to the development and status of marathon swimming in the world
     

  3. Nominees for the two ISHOF Awards must already be Honorees in the IMSHOF.

 

All nominations can include a reference to inspirational, disabled, water safety, other contributions to the sport or society, etc.

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The sport contains three types of marathon swims.

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  1. Solo swims in straits, channels, rivers, lakes, and oceans – examples: the English Channel, Derwent River, Foveaux Strait. This would also include solo swims completed in tandem formation (together) example: a tandem in Catalina, 4 solo swimmers together in Gibraltar, etc.

  2. Races in World Aquatics (previously FINA)/Majors:  Competitive participation in the Olympic Games, World Championships, and 10K Marathon Swim Cup Events.

  3. Other races:  LEN, national championships, Rottnest, World University Games, Lake Zurich, S.C.A.R., etc.

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IMSHOF Swimwear and Aids

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In some World Aquatics (previously FINA) races the swimmers are compelled to wear wetsuits in lower temperatures and are allowed to wear compression suits (which aid speed) in most events.  These should be explicitly noted on the nomination. For solo swims conducted under the auspices of the body governing that event, the nominee must comply with both the relevant swimwear requirements and other performance regulations as required under that body’s rules.

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Several Honor Swimmers completed swims (before and after induction) in wetsuits, rubber suits, stinger suits and flippers (which are noted in their biographies - for historic reasons).  A few used shark cages (only where these involved longer distances were they mentioned).  Earlier swimmers often used all-over thick grease - which are not mentioned in biographies.

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Ethics

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Honorees will live the values associated with the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame including commitment, integrity, courage, respect, and excellence.

 

Drug Test Failure (adverse analytical findings, atypical findings, and other assorted anti-doping rule violations) by WADA or an authorized WADA body in any aquatics sport, prevents a nominee from being selected and results in the removal of an honoree from the IMSHOF. This does not apply if the finding is overturned on appeal (reduction or removal of any punishment on appeal is not considered if the finding is not overturned). This can be a current test or a future test on an old sample.

 

 

Sexual Assault Conviction of a Child (and all appeals have been exhausted) by a local court prevents a nominee from being selected and results in the removal of an Honoree from the IMSHOF.   

 

Fraud committed in an organized fashion to create false marathon records. (Example: an organization altering observer logs or selling false marathon completion certificates.) This prevents a nominee from being selected and results in the removal of an Honoree from the IMSHOF.

 

Safety is a top priority in the sport. Individuals or Organizations which repeatedly engage in unsafe practices do not meet our ethics criteria.

 

​Encourage participation by all interested swimmers and contributors.   Individuals or Organizations which repeatedly engage in creating entry barriers or a non-welcoming environment based on disability; race; country of origin; gender or gender identity/preference do not meet our ethics criteria.  IMSHOF continues to monitor these criteria and evolve it accordingly over time.

 

The five specific ethical values described above may not be exhaustive in our global future. The IMSHOF deplores any ethical violations that seriously diminish the reputation of the IMSHOF and the sport of open water swimming. Even a charge or suspicion of such an ethical violation may cause a nomination or an announcement to be withdrawn. For inductees, IMSHOF will generally wait for a determination by the courts (and appeals exhausted) before removal is considered.

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