The settlement resolves claims brought by swimmers Thomas A. Shields and Katinka Hosszú on behalf of themselves and a class of similarly situated athletes against World Aquatics, the international federation that governs competitive swimming, diving, water polo and other aquatic sports. Two prominent swimmers, Alia Atkinson and Chad le Clos, opted out of the damages settlement class and are excluded from any monetary recovery.
Judge Corley noted that final approval of the settlement agreement was granted on April 1, 2026, and that the court "dismisses on the merits and with prejudice this Action against Defendant World Aquatics." The judge also entered a permanent injunction against World Aquatics, though the specific terms were not detailed in the final judgment order.
The class action lawsuit was filed in 2018 in the Northern District of California's San Francisco Division. The court previously considered motions for final approval and attorneys' fees, expenses, and service awards before entering the final judgment dismissing all claims with prejudice.
Under the settlement terms, the court retained exclusive jurisdiction only for disputes related to arbitration or enforcement of arbitration awards. The agreement creates res judicata and preclusive effects, permanently barring class members from bringing future lawsuits on the released claims against World Aquatics and other releasees.