At present, freediving in the UK does not have formal recognition within national sporting systems. As participation increases, questions arise about how the sport relates to public institutions such as Sport England, Sport Scotland, Sport Wales, Sport Northern Ireland and UK Sport, particularly around safeguarding frameworks, facility access and public liability insurance.
Formal alignment with public sporting structures may represent an important long-term pathway for the sport. Such alignment can provide clarity for facilities, transparency around safeguarding and stronger foundations for participation and development.
There are different ways this could take shape. It may sit within existing organisational structures. It may involve a broader representative forum. Or it may evolve through collaboration between multiple groups.
The purpose of this proposal is not to predetermine that outcome, but to ensure these questions can be discussed openly and coherently as the sport continues to develop.
(Click on the section that you’d like to navigate to)