The announcement coincided with celebrations across the country today as it marked the seventh anniversary of its independence. 

The decision, taken by the FINA ruling Bureau, means swimmers from Kosovo will be eligible to compete at this year's inaugural European Games in Baku and to try to qualify for next year's Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. 

"This is the best present that Kosovo could have had on its independence day," Besim Hasani, President of the Kosovo Olympic Committee, exclusively told insidethegames. 

Kosovo will also be permitted to compete at the this year's FINA World Championships in Kazan, even though host nation Russia is staunchly opposed to Kosovan independence, as well as to its claim to become a member of United Nations.

insidethegames had revealed last week that Kosovo were set to be accepted as members following a declaration by the FINA Bureau that they would "not tolerate any form of political motivation to justify the non-participation in our events".

But, perhaps because of fear of upsetting the Russians and, particularly, its President, Vladimir Putin, who they controversially gave the FINA Order too last October, the world governing body revealed news of Kosovo's membership only in a short three-line story on their official website and failed to send out a press release about the decision. 

But Hasani hopes it will be a chance to help improve relations between them and Russia.

"For swimmers of Kosovo it is very important to compete at the World Championships in Kazan," he told insidethegames.

"It is a good opportunity for them to enjoy the hospitality of the Russian people."

Milorad Čavić was briefly disqualified at the 2008 European Swimming Championships in Eindhoven for wearing a tee-shirt emblazoned with “Kosovo is Serbia” in Cyrillic
©Getty Images

Previous swimming events have been marred by protests about Kosovo.

At the 2008 European Championships in Eindhoven Serbian Milorad Čavić was briefly disqualified after winning the 50 metres butterfly for wearing a tee-shirt at the medals ceremony that read "Kosovo is Serbia" in Cyrillic only a month after the country had declared independence. 

FINA are the latest governing body to formally approve Kosovo's membership following the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decision to grant the country membership at its Session in Monte Carlo in December.

A total of 15 Olympic summer and winter sports federations have now recognised Kosovo, including the International Judo Federation which officially recognised Kosovo in 2012.

FIFA, meanwhile, allows the country to play friendlies but not compete in tournaments. 

But athletics, basketball, shooting, tennis and volleyball have yet to grant Kosovo any kind of recognition. 

Kosovo will be hoping that FINA's recognition helps lead to the development of better facilities.

The closest Olympic-sized swimming pool to Kosovo's capital Pristina is a five-hour drive away in Macedonia.

Kosovo's best hope of making an impact internationally is Rita Zeqiri, who trained in small hotel pools before her father built a 25-metre pool in his back garden, she told Al Jazeera during an interview.



"It is a great news and I would like to thank the FINA Bureau for granting membership to the Kosovo Swimming Federation which will enable Rita and other swimmers from Kosovo to compete equally with other athletes worldwide," Hasani told insidethegames.

"I hope that Kosovo swimmers will qualify for the first European Games in Baku and for Rio 2016."

Kosovo are the 208th country to become a member of FINA and the 52nd in Europe.

Of the other 156 members, 44 are in Africa, 44 in the Americas, 44 in Asia and 16 in Oceania. 

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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