Following the submission of candidates, FINA's Ethics Panel is set to review the list of nominees in the following month prior to an athletes' vote at the World Championships in Budapest.

Elections are scheduled to run from June 16 to 25 for swimmers, and until three days later for all other athletes.

The 20 elected athletes and honorary members are then due to be approved by the FINA Bureau during the World Championships.

The six disciplines covered by FINA - swimming, water polo, diving, artistic swimming, open water and high diving - are all set to be represented on the Athletes' Committee, with a member from each of them appointed to their respective Technical Committees.

Active and recently retired athletes are eligible to serve on the body, which is responsible for offering input into the organisation of the World Championships and the development of technical rules.

It is designed to serve as the "athletes’ voice in aquatics sport", and is currently chaired by South Africa's two-time Olympic gold medallist Penny Heyns.

FINA President Husain Al-Musallam, who was elected unopposed last June and oversaw the approval of widespread reforms at the Extraordinary General Congress in December, hailed the electoral process for the Athletes' Committee.

"Today marks another exciting chapter in giving athletes a greater voice and influence on decisions within aquatics sport," Al-Musallam said.

"Having athletes elected to the FINA Athletes' Committee by their fellow athletes marks a significant step forward for athlete empowerment within the aquatics community."

Heyns praised FINA's direction under Al-Musallam.

"Furthermore, under the new leadership of President Husain Al-Musallam, the organisation has taken a very athlete-centric approach and I believe the voice of the athletes will be heard and respected more than ever," the Athletes' Committee chair said.

She added: "As the current FINA Athletes' Committee chair and long-time FINA Athletes' Committee member, I am delighted that FINA will hold its very first democratic Athletes' Committee elections in Budapest.

"During my tenure, I have seen the Committee grow from strength to strength, specifically the past two terms with the introduction of democratic elections as well as seven votes in Congress.

"I believe the new FINA Athletes' Committee will give athletes a greater voice, representative of the athletes’ voice, with the majority of members being either active athletes or recently retired athletes."

A total of 32 members are set to serve on the Athletes' Committee with terms running until 2025.

Six athletes who finished in the top eight at the previous World Championships or Olympics will be appointed by Al-Musallam with the FINA Bureau's approval, with the FINA President also nominating six honorary members.

Appointed members must be endorsed by their National Federation and undergo a check from the Ethics Panel.