The Chairman of the Indonesian Diving Sports Association (PB POSSI), Commissioner General of Police Makhruzi Rahman, emphasized his commitment to ensuring that diving, including finswimming, is returned to the sport of multi-sports competition, such as the SEA Games."We continue to push for diving to be included in multi-event competitions. Indeed, this sport will not be contested at the 2025 SEA Games," Makhruzi said on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the 2025 CMAS Southeast Asia Championship Indoor Finswimming at the Gelora Bung Karno Aquatic Stadium in Jakarta on Saturday.
At the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand, finswimming was not included in the list of events. This contrasts with the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia, where Indonesia won six gold medals, 10 silver medals, and five bronze medals, trailing only Vietnam, the overall champion with 14 gold medals, 11 silver medals, and four bronze medals.
According to Makhruzi, one of PB POSSI's strategic steps to fight for the return of diving at the multi-event level is to increase the number of international championships in the region, including the holding of the Southeast Asian championship which will take place on November 16–19 in Jakarta.
The event was attended by 186 athletes from five countries, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.
"We continue to push for greater interest in finswimming and for it to reach more countries, so it has the opportunity to compete again in multi-sport events," he said.
Similar support was expressed by the Executive Committee of the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI/NOC Indonesia), Harry Warganegara, who appreciated the PB POSSI initiative to host the inaugural Southeast Asian Finswimming Championship.
"This is an important part of sports diplomacy so that diving, including finswimming, can be included in multi-event events, especially the SEA Games," said Harry.
He said finswimming's absence from the 2025 SEA Games was a significant concern, but the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) remains optimistic that the sport will return for the 2027 edition in Malaysia and the 2029 edition in Singapore.
"We hope finswimming can be contested again, and if possible, not just one event. Indonesia has medal potential. At the Philippines SEA Games, for example, underwater hockey was also contested, and we won a medal," said Harry.
In addition to promoting the SEA Games, KOI is also working to introduce diving events at Asian-level events such as the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG).