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| Sport | Water polo |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | National |
| Founded | 1978 |
| Affiliation | United States Aquatic Sports |
| Headquarters | Irvine, California, U.S. |
| Location | 6 Morgan |
| Director | Christopher Ramsey |
| Men's coach | Dejan Udovičić |
| Women's coach | Adam Krikorian |
| Official website | |
| usawaterpolo | |
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USA Water Polo is the governing body for the sport ofwater polo in theUnited States and is a member of theUnited States Aquatic Sports. USA Water Polo is responsible for fielding U.S. national teams and hosts 20 annual tournaments.[1][2][3] The Organization is headquartered inIrvine, California.[4]
USA Water Polo was formed in 1978 after a new law designated theUnited States Olympic Committee as the governing body for all Olympic activity in the United States. Water polo in the United States had previously been controlled by theAmateur Athletic Union. The organization is now responsible for overall Olympic development.
The U.S. has fielded a women's national team since the 1970s.[5][6]Tina Bejarano,[7]Lara Ruiz,Carmen Bejarano,[8] Debbie Powell,[8]Desiree Zepeda andAnabel Barragon played on a team fromCommerce, California during this era.[9] The team has participated in every Olympic Games since the inaugural women's competition in the2000 Summer Olympics inSydney, and have medalled in all five tournaments, winning the last three.
The United States men's team has participated in Olympic water polo since the1904 Games inSt. Louis, the second Olympic Games to host a water polo tournament. The 1904 squad won the gold medal, the only gold the US men have earned in water polo. Since 1904, the US has won another six Olympic medals (1924, 1932, 1972, 1984, 1988, 2008). The United States women's team has competed in every tournament since the inaugural 2000 edition, winning a medal in each, including three consecutive victories in 2012–2021.
USA Water Polo also oversees junior, 18U, and 16U national teams.
In June 2020, USA Water Polo announced it was forming a task force to work on racial justice issues as well as expanding access to the sport.[10] Four-time olympic championBrenda Villa was selected alongside executive John Abdou.[11]
TheWashington Wetskins, an organization affiliated with USA Water Polo, is the oldest LGBT friendly water polo team in the United States and the world.[12][13] The Washington Wetskins welcomed women as well as men on their team.[14] As of 2018, the organization had over 80 members.[15] In 2020, the team changed their name to theWashington DSeahorses Water Polo Club.[16] DSeahorse members have to be USA Water Polo members in order to play on the team.[16]
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In June 2021, USA Water Polo and a California club settled a $14 million lawsuit that had been filed against them by several female water polo players who accused their coach Bahram Hojreh ofsexual misconduct.[21] USA Water Polo stated it suspended the coach when it first obtained reports about his alleged abuse in January 2018 from theUnited States Center for SafeSport, but the organization was cautioned for allegedly failing to inform law enforcement at the time as required under California law and the SafeSport code.[21]
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