Sports
João Bizerra Analyzes the Future of Brazilian Swimming
With nearly four decades of experience, the coach calls for a deep overhaul of aquatic sports in Brazil.
In a conversation on Natação Stemma, João Luiz Bizerra breaks down the structural hurdles facing aquatic sports in Brazil. The coach argues for stronger integration between the national confederation and state federations to nurture talent across disciplines.
With nearly four decades of experience developing athletes alongside standout stints with the national open water team and in international officiating, João Luiz Bizerra offers a critical yet constructive perspective on the current state of aquatic sports in Brazil. In his view, the sport in Brazil holds immense potential but remains constrained by a lack of integration and governance models in urgent need of renewal.
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The urgent need for an integrated overhaul
According to Bizerra, the need to rethink the sport's organizational structure is a clear consensus among the country's leading coaches. He points to a workshop held at Círculo Militar de São Paulo that brought together prominent national technical leaders, where the shared takeaway was the demand for a comprehensive overhaul stretching from top-level governing bodies down to state federations.
The divide between regional entities and the Brazilian Confederation of Aquatic Sports (CBDA) sits at the heart of this discussion. In Bizerra's assessment, some state federations operate more effectively than the national confederation itself, compounded by communication breakdowns that leave promising initiatives isolated. As an example, he points to a CBDA talent scouting project in Espírito Santo led by coach Ricardinho (formerly of Sesi), which remains largely unknown even within the local circuit.
Regional diversity and the foundation of aquatic sports
Another pillar highlighted by the coach is Brazil's continental scale, which offers distinct natural conditions and regional strengths across states. Bizerra emphasizes that different regions have the potential to anchor hubs for open water swimming, water polo, diving, and artistic swimming, provided there is coherent strategic guidance.
Pool swimming, however, remains the fundamental bedrock for all aquatic disciplines. He highlights the example of ABDA (Associação Bauruense de Desportos Aquáticos), which was founded with deep roots in water polo yet relies on swimming as its core technical engine. The traditional strength of São Paulo clubs—such as Pinheiros, Paineiras, and Paulistano—illustrates the value of this structured base, sparking reflection on how aquatic sports could reach an entirely new level of visibility if major soccer clubs entered water polo and competitive swimming.
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