Their declarations follow the announcement on Wednesday (February 18) that the Mexican Swimming Federation had withdrawn as hosts of the multi-sport event.

Guadalajara had been set to stage the Championships but, because falling oil prices, the organisers informed FINA that they would decline from hosting as it would prove too costly to stage.

The Mexican National Physical Culture and Sport Commission (CONADE) claimed they had spent $9.5 million (£6 million/€8.5 billion) of the $100 million (£65 million/€88 million) cost of organising the 2017 event.

But rather than continuing as hosts, they opted to pay a $5 million (£3 million/€4.5 million) penalty in accordance with a contract signed with FINA in 2011, to withdraw from staging the competition.

Neither Britain or the United States have hosted the Championships since they were launched in 1973. 

Britain will stage the European Championships in 2016 and 2018 and the 2015 IPC World Championships ©Getty Images





When asked by insidethegames whether Britain might consider stepping into the void left by Mexico, British Swimming chief executive David Sparkes claimed the prospect was unlikely, despite the fact a new state-of-the-art Aquatics Centre was built for London 2012.

He pointed to due to their existing commitments to host the European Championships in 2016 and 2018 in London and Glasgow respectively.

Britain is also due to host the International Paralympic Committee World Championships in Glasgow this year.

"It would be hard for us to build this in strategically," Sparkes told insidethegames.

"I would not expect London to be interested in this event, they've got their hands full already and in 2017 it's the World Athletics Championships.

"We aren't disinterested in the future, but it would require the city to find significant funds in a fairly short time, and my guess is that it would be hard to do given their commitment to athletics already."

Sparkes comments follow on from reports that Chuck Wielgus, US Swimming's Executive Director expressed that the possibility of the US replacing Mexico as hosts was very slim.

Wielgus claimed the costs involved of staging the multi-sport event as a key reason why they would not step in as hosts, as the Championships would require competition in diving, swimming, synchronised swimming, open water and water polo to all be accomodated.

Wielgus was quoted in the Chicago Tribune as saying "we would love to host a long course World Championships in the US, but the economic requirements make it impossible for us to seriously consider."

With Britain and the US seemingly ruling themselves out as hosts, FINA's prospective options have been significantly reduced.

Australia last hosted the World Aquatics Championships at Melbourne in 2007 ©Getty Images

Australia could remain a possibility for the governing body after a Swimming Australia spokesman told Reuters "we would be open to having discussions with FINA should there be interest in Australia stepping in to assist."

Australia has already hosted the Championships three times, at Perth in 1991 and 1998 and Melbourne in 2007. 

But the spokeman indicated that the prospect of hosting the Championships remained unlikely due to the investment required and the short time frame.

FINA's executive director Cornel Marculescu has claimed that FINA hoped to come up with "something concrete" regarding the 2017 Championships shortly.

The Russian city of Kazan, is set to host the 2015 edition of the Championships from July 24 to August 9.

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February 2015: Exclusive: Kazan 2015 will not be victim of economic crisis claim FINA in wake of Guadalajara withdrawal
February 2015: Mexico withdraws from hosting 2017 World Aquatics Championships due to falling oil prices