International Swimming League returns after five years

The International Swimming League is set to resume activity after a five-year absence, beginning with an All-Star Match at London’s Aquatics Centre on December 19. The event is intended to lead into a wider return for the team-based swimming competition, which brought together leading international swimmers in a closed league format.

The ISL began in 2019 under Konstantin Grigorishin and ran for three seasons. Its programme featured short, two-day meets involving teams, conferences and playoffs, with swimmers including Caeleb Dressel, Chad le Clos, Adam Peaty, Kliment Kolesnikov, Florent Manaudou, Ranomi Kromowidjojo, Pernille Blume and Katinka Hosszu.

Financial difficulties, worsened by the coronavirus pandemic, disrupted the competition. Funds linked to Grigorishin were blocked after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and the league then ceased operations. The planned London meeting will take place at the venue built for the 2012 Olympic Games, with organisers promising a record purse and further details to come.

Commissioner Ben Allen said in December that the league was expected to return to the calendar in autumn 2026. The new model is intended to rely on sponsorship and media partnerships rather than a single private investor. The 300 swimmers who competed in the 2021 edition are also due to receive their outstanding bonuses.