The International Association for the Development of Free Diving (vabas vormis tõlge võiks kõlada: Vabasukeldumise Arendamise Rahvusvaheline Ühing) loodi 1993 aastal eesmärgiga korraldada rahvusvahelisi vabasukeldumise võistlusi, rekordi püstitamise üritusi ning koolitamaks vabasukeldujaid.
Idee algatajateks olid Jacques Mayol ja Enzo Maïorca. Aastatel 1985 kuni 1990 harrastasid vabasukeldumist vaid üksikud "hullud" üle maailma, kes teineteisega konkureerisid. Tegu oli tõeliste fanaatikutega ja oma kirge nimetasid nad algul "Suure Sinise valguseks", millest hiljem kasvas välja lihtsalt "Suur Sinine". Täna võib öelda, et ilma nende oma ala fanaatikuteta poleks vabasukeldumine jõudnud sinna, kus ta tänaseks on.
In 1990, Roland Specker, a freediver from the North East of France, was training at a nearby lake with a replica of Jacques Mayol’s weight ballast, which he had constructed. Roland Specker then met another Frenchman, Claude Chapuis, after having learned he had just achieved a world record in Static Apnea in Nice on the Côte d'Azur. They decided to organize clinics so that others could also discover the sport of freediving. The first clinic took place in Nice in May 1990.
Upon his return to the North of France, Roland Specker thought he had more than enough time to create rules for records, when in fact, many records were already being established, but the rules weren’t all necessarily identical. Roland travelled and met Umberto Pelizzari, some German freedivers and many others attempting freediving records and decided that it was important that an association be created that would recognize the records.

On November 2, 1992, Roland Specker and a few friends created the International Association for the Development of Apnea with their head office in St. Louis, France, near Mulhouse. Roland was President, Thierry Meunier was Secretary and Claude Chapuis was the Technical Director. Two texts were drawn up: the rules and recommendations for the recognition of records. Several records were recognized very quickly by AIDA, which became the reference for freediving. The first AIDA journal was created in 1995 and at General Assemblies, many freedivers, such as Umberto Pelizzari, Loïc Leferme, Olivier Heuleu, and Frédéric Buyle were recognized.
Claude Chapuis also organized mini competitions between the freedivers attending the clinics held in Nice and the thought of organizing a World Championship quickly grew in his spirit seeing as how these competitions was fairly easy to organize. Following a meeting in Nice attended by Umberto Pelizzari, Pierre Frolla and freedivers from Nice, and with the help of a few sports students at the University of Nice, the decision was made. The first competition rules were fabricated based on ski competition rules, as everyone would have to attempt performances that were not mastered. All the freedivers agreed on one point right from the start…that performances would not be valid if the freediver experienced a blackout or a "samba", the first sign of the loss of motor control. Each freediver would present two events: Static Apnea and Constant Ballast. That way, a sea or pool specialist would not have any advantage.
The first AIDA World Championship was held in Nice in October 1996. There were 25 participants each in teams of 5 from Germany, Belgium, Columbia, Spain, France, Italy and a team representing the United Nations consisting of freedivers from different countries. Who could forget from this first World Championship the tears of Columbian Marlennedy, Claude Chapuis succeeding at leaving his country with 2 other fellow countrymen, the victory of the Italian team coached by Umberto, Jean Delmarre’s 6'05 in Static, Jean-Michel Pradon’s 53m in Constant Ballast, and the incredible success of AIDA and the freedivers from Nice. Modern competition freediving was born on that day and things could only get better. On departure day, Claude Chapuis shook Umberto Pelizzari’s hand and said, "you won, now it’s up to you to organize the second World Championship".
1997 was a year of transition and several freedivers created groups in their own countries. AIDA continued to certify records and 12 countries were in contact thanks to AIDA. Since it was a year without a world rendez-vous, the French created the AIDA France World Cup, which is a circuit of individual competitions by team. The magnitude of the freediving phenomenon created the need to make a very important change. Each country was required to create an AIDA association. Thanks to Thierry Meunier, the AIDA website was created and Laurent Trougnou quickly became the AIDA Webmaster and Sébastien Nagel was now responsible for records. AIDA promoted the development of freediving over the Internet, which gave all freedivers the ability to stay in contact.
Umberto Pelizzari never forget his promise to Claude Chapuis, and organized the Second AIDA World Championship in Sardinia in 1998, Claude on his side organized the European Trophy. This Second World Championship, supported by Club Med, demonstrated to all world freediving federations that when sports activists get together and defend their interests, their sport advances by leaps and bounds. 28 countries attended and Jacques Mayol’s presence created an emotional atmosphere. France and Italy were neck and neck…it was just like a scene out of the Big Blue and the Mayol/Maïorca era, but it was Italy who reigned in front of France. AIDA France was created, which enabled AIDA to handle international problems.
Egypt, January 1999: Magda Abdou had heard of AIDA and contacted Claude Chapuis to ask if he can organize a freediving competition in El Gouna, to the north of Hurgada, Egypt and freedivers from around the world met at the Red Sea. Amidst all the coral and the dolphins, the competition program was somewhat insane. An individual competition was held at the start of the week, followed by a team competition. The idea was to test the realism of international individual competitions. France came second behind the Italians and during the competition, just at the peak of suspense when the starter finished the countdown for a competitor, a spectator cried "dolphins!" In one fraction of a second, the entire group of competitors dove into the water to play with the dolphins, and the AIDA judges patiently waited with a smile to restart the competition. It was observed on that day, that competition freedivers all shared the same passion…to feel the pleasure of being in the water and to marvel in all it has to offer. In 1999 a very important change occurred…”AIDA” was dissolved so that AIDA International could emerge. On September 21, 1999, a Swiss, Sébastien Nagel, become the President of AIDA International, an Executive Board was created, and the assembly of delegates allowed each affiliated country to express themselves via a vote procedure over the Internet. As of this date, and thanks to Sébastien Nagel, the media definitively recognized AIDA International. The new Swiss President was surrounded by freedivers from various countries on the Executive Board with Frédéric Buyle (Belgium), Dieter Baumann (Austria), Karoline Meyer Dal Toé (Brazil), Claude Chapuis (France), and Kirk Krack (Canada).
In 2000, an incredible effervescence existed throughout the world. AIDA assisted all new affiliate countries to create national associations. Notwithstanding the debut of competitions in 1996, national diving federations did not seem to take an interest in freediving. A new concept emerged while waiting for the next AIDA World Championship, which would take place in Ibiza, Spain: the World Cup. Several international competitions would take place throughout various countries in order to determine the winning team. Jean-Pol Francois in Belgium, Sébastien Nagel in Switzerland, Claude Chapuis and Pierre Frolla in France and Monaco, organized superb competitions among their friends and freedivers. Competitions for women were created, France arrived to battle with the Italians, and new nations such as Venezuela and Germany for the men, and Canada and Switzerland for the women emerged. Henceforth, AIDA competitions were organized in every country that had created a freediving association.
With the support of Club Med, Olivier Herrera, a young Spaniard, organized the Third AIDA World Championship in 2001 in Ibiza. The countries selected their best teams and the Italian men, under Umberto Pelizzari came first, France second, and Sweden third. For the women, in order, the Canadians with Mandy-Rae Cruickshank, the Americans with Tanya Streeter and the Italians with Silvia Da Bone. Herbert Nitsch attained 86m in Constant Ballast, which was a new world record. Since 1999 and the Red Sea Dive Off, Static Apnea and Constant Ballast records had been defeated in competition. Freedivers had become sports activists and trained to go beyond human limits.
In 2002, USA AIDA Representative Glennon Gingo, organized a major international competition in Hawaii and world record holders were finally regularly participating in competitions. Martin Stepanek (Czech Republic), Carlos Coste (Venezuela), Pierre Frolla (Monaco), Guillaume Nery and Stéphane Mifsud (France), Stig Severinsen (Denmark), Mandy-Rae Cruickshank (Canada) and Annabel Briseno (USA) and many others. AIDA had finally succeeded at uniting some of the best competitors in the world. Admittedly, since 2000, only records were attended. Names would appear and disappear, which is the nature of the sport. It is only in competition where we discover who is the best. Since 2000, freedivers have understood that if they want to be champion, they must confront others. It is the challenge that Enzo throws to Jacques Mayol in "The Big Blue", and the challenge that AIDA proposes to freedivers. There will be those that will attempt the adventure…and then there are the others.
Cyprus was the world meeting place for freedivers in 2003. Englishman Howard Jones and creator of “Freediver” magazine had been following the AIDA adventure for a few years. His idea was to propose an individual match supported by AIDA. The celebration was monstrous and the performances were remarkable. Freediving had become a recognized sport and televisions around the world relayed the achievements of the "human dolphins". An international federation without freedivers attempted to organize a World Championship. Politicians and underwater hunters prepared strange competition rules, and as a result, the competition was cancelled.
The next AIDA competition will be the Fourth World Championship that will take place in Vancouver, Canada in 2004. Will the 100m in Constant Ballast be surpassed?…and the 8’ in Static? Beyond the history of AIDA, freedivers around the world must unite in order to defend their sport and build the world of which they dream.
AIDA International wishes all freedivers around the world the very best of adventures…adventures that will build the future of freediving. Will you be among those who will continue the story?
Written by:

Claude Chapuis, the summer 2004

www.aida-international.org