Bill Beacon

Organizers of the world aquatic championships face a "life or death" meeting with the sport's top officials on Tuesday.

Officials from FINA, the world governing body for swimming and other aquatic sports, are to meet in Montreal with the organizing committee for the embattled world championships, which are scheduled for July 17-31. The event is in danger of being cancelled, or perhaps moved to another city, due to financial troubles that include a shortfall of about $8 million in sponsorship revenue. A decision is expected by Jan. 18.

"Every meeting we have now is life or death," Dick Pound, co-president of the organizing committee, said Monday. "We want to hear what flexibility they have as far as financial commitments and whether they're thinking of cancelling the event. We'll tell them what our plans are for going to government and the private sector (for money)."

He said the two sides would "try to find a solution to a problem that has become acute."

FINA president Mustapha Larfaoui and executive director Cornel Marculescu are expected to lead the FINA delegation.

Fundraising efforts from the private sector so far have fallen well short of expectations. Organizers have commitments for $4 million of the $12 million they were seeking in private sponsorships.

And so far they have raised only about $500,000 of the $6 million they hoped for in ticket sales, although sales are expected to pick up as the opening date nears.

Pound said that since talk of cancelling the prestigious event surfaced last month, some interest was sparked among the private sector, but he does not expect the shortfall to be filled by next week.

They hope to convince governments to come up with the extra cash. Last month, organizers said they would need an extra $12 million in government funding.

But the federal, provincial and municipal governments, who together have already contributed an estimated $28.4 million toward the event, have all said they would not pledge any more cash.

The world aquatic championships are considered third in the world in importance behind soccer and athletics. They are expected to attract 2,000 athletes, coaches and officials from 160 countries, as well as thousands of fans and media.

The championships include swimming, diving, water polo, synchronized swimming and endurance swimming.

Three permanent and two temporary pools were put in at the competition site near downtown Montreal.

Losing the championships would be another blow to the prestige of the city, which has lost two minor events - the 2004 World Games for athletes over 30 and the 2006 Gay Games - in the past 12 months. The Montreal Expos also left town last year.

But having to cancel or move the event would be a headache for FINA. There is no certainty that Long Beach, Calif., which finished second to Montreal in bidding for the championships, could stage it on short notice.

Reports have said FINA could split up the championships and hold each discipline in a different city.

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