Olympic gold medallist Tatjana Schoenmaker is a notable absentee after almost the entire South African team were forced to withdraw due to a coronavirus-related travel ban on the country.

A total of 21 South African swimmers were due to make the trip to the United Arab Emirates but only two have been confirmed as entries - 10-time short course world champion Chad Le Clos and Australia-based Michaela Pulford.

It has also been reported that Italy’s Fabio Scozzoli - who claimed gold at the 2012 World Championships - was forced to pull out of the event, scheduled to run from tomorrow until December 21, after testing positive for coronavirus.

Speaking at the opening press conference outside Etihad Arena, Al-Musallam revealed that seven nations had withdrawn due to the affects of Omicron - which is said to be more transmissible than previous coronavirus variants.

But Al-Musallam expressed his "full confidence" in the countermeasures put in place in Abu Dhabi and spoke of his pride in the participation of more than 1,000 athletes from 183 nations.

FINA has confirmed that 937 swimmers will take part in the World Swimming Championships along with a further 197 competing across the marathon swim, high diving and diving events as part of the Aquatics Festival. 

"This new variant of COVID has affected everyone, but look around you, you can feel the excitement," said Al-Musallam.

"We have our champions here and we are proud that they are here now.

"Look around you, we have 183 countries taking part here.

"Seven countries withdrew because of this affect [of coronavirus], but this affects the whole world.

"We are proud to have 183 here and the refugee team.

"We are having full confidence that the FINA medical team’s protocols in cooperation with United Arab Emirates can give a safe environment for all participants.

"Nobody is safe at this time in the year but with sport there is always hope to bring to life back to normal.

"We need to make this championship to bring hope to the normalisation of life.

"We need to be back to normal.

"The only way is to come back, compete, train, be healthy and trust the system.

"Of course there will be positives or negatives, but we cannot close ourselves, stay in the house and don’t organise any competitions.

"We need this type of competition."

Abu Dhabi was originally scheduled to stage the Short Course World Swimming Championships last year only for the event it to be postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Aref Al Awani, general secretary of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, said organisers have faced challenges but felt they were in a "very good position" to deliver a safe event.

"We have to thank FINA for their leadership during this period," said Al Awani.

"It has not been easy, so I am really proud to be standing here today.

"The eyes of the world will be on Yas Island this week.

"Over the coming days we will demonstrate what this sport is all about - the skills, determination and teamwork as well as physical and mental power."

Despite being hit by a series of withdrawals due to varying reasons, the field includes a number of world champions.

Japan’s double world record-holder Daiya Seto - who won gold in the 200 metres butterfly and 400m medley at the 2018 World Championships - is among the title contenders along with double Olympic champion Tom Dean of Britain and fellow Tokyo 2020 medallists Florian Wellbrock of Germany and Arno Kamminga of The Netherlands.

In the women’s competition, Margaret Mac Neil - who won Canada’s first gold of Tokyo 2020 in the 100m butterfly - is set to star as well as 17-year-old American sensation Lydia Jacoby and two-time European short course champion Simona Quadarella of Italy.

Competition is due to start tomorrow with heats followed by semi-finals and finals in the men’s 400m freestyle, women’s 200m freestyle, men’s 200m butterfly, women’s 400m individual medley, men’s 200m medley, women’s 4x100m freestyle and men’s 4x100m freestyle.

insidethegames will be providing a Live Blog throughout this year’s World Swimming Championships (25m).