Important Notice: Verify Before You Participate — Unauthorized Underwater Sports Events Are Being Organised Across India

The Underwater Sports Association India (USAI) is issuing an important public advisory to athletes, parents, coaches, and educational institutions across the country. In recent months, it has come to our attention that unauthorized and unaffiliated organisations are organising underwater sports and finswimming events in various states — events that have no affiliation whatsoever with USAI, despite USAI being India's only CMAS-affiliated national federation for finswimming and underwater sports.

This is a serious issue, and we want every parent and athlete in the country to understand exactly what's happening — and how to protect themselves.

What's Happening

Several circulars and event posters have been circulating on social media, promoting underwater sports competitions in different states. On the surface, many of these look legitimate. But when examined closely, a troubling pattern emerges:

  • These events are being organised by groups that hold no affiliation with USAI — and therefore no CMAS recognition either, since USAI is the sole body authorised by CMAS to govern underwater sports in India
  • In states where a legitimate USAI-affiliated state body already exists, unaffiliated organisations are separately organising competing events, creating confusion for athletes and parents about which events are genuine
  • These organisers are collecting registration fees from athletes and families
  • Following the event, they issue certificates to participants — certificates that are not issued by, endorsed by, or recognised by USAI or CMAS

The result: parents' hard-earned money is being spent, and athletes' time and energy is being invested, in events that carry no genuine international or national recognition whatsoever.

A Real Example: Faridabad

This isn't a hypothetical concern. It has recently come to light that an underwater sports event was organised at a school in Faridabad by an organisation with no USAI affiliation. What's especially concerning is that even the education department and school authorities involved were not aware that the organisers had no legitimate CMAS-recognised standing. Certificates were issued to participating students — certificates that hold no value or recognition within the official CMAS/USAI structure.

This highlights an important point: it is not only individual athletes and parents who need to verify credentials — schools, education departments, and institutions hosting these events must do the same before agreeing to host or endorse any underwater sports competition.

Why This Matters

We've addressed this broader issue in detail in previous posts, and we'd strongly encourage every reader to go through them if you haven't already:

The short version: certificates and results from events organised outside USAI's CMAS-affiliated structure are not recognised internationally by CMAS. No matter how professionally an event is organised, or how official a certificate may look, if it doesn't come through USAI, it does not connect to India's official pathway into CMAS-sanctioned national and international competition.

There Is Only One Way to Apply for USAI Events

We want to be completely clear on this point: USAI does not authorise any third party, agent, or external organisation to conduct registrations on our behalf.

Every official USAI event — at state, national, or international level — can be applied for only through the official USAI website, after logging into your athlete account. Once logged in, athletes can view exactly which events they are eligible to apply for and complete their registration directly through USAI's official system.

If you are being asked to register for an "underwater sports" or "finswimming" event through any other website, WhatsApp group, poster, or third-party organiser — it is not a USAI event, no matter what it claims.

How to Protect Yourself

Before registering for any underwater sports or finswimming event in India, or before agreeing to host one at your school or institution, please take these simple steps:

  1. Log in to your athlete account at underwatersportsindia.com and check whether the event appears in your official event list
  2. Verify the organising body's affiliation directly with USAI before paying any registration fee or committing school resources
  3. Check CMAS's official national federations page at cmas.org/national-federations/asia/india-asai.html to confirm USAI's status independently
  4. Contact USAI directly if you are unsure whether a specific event, organiser, or state body is genuinely affiliated
  5. Schools and institutions should request written proof of USAI affiliation before hosting or endorsing any underwater sports event on their premises

Our Commitment to Athletes and Parents

USAI exists to protect and grow genuine underwater sports talent in India — and that includes protecting families from organisations that have no legitimate standing in the sport. We will continue to raise awareness of this issue and support any athlete, parent, or institution seeking to verify the authenticity of an event.

Please see the official circular published alongside this post for USAI's formal position on this matter.

Stay Connected

For verified event listings, official registration, and the latest updates on underwater sports and finswimming in India, always go directly to underwatersportsindia.com — the only official source for USAI-affiliated events.