BBC wins swimming and aquatic sports coverage deal

Swimming fans will be able to follow the country's best athletes on the BBC

The BBC has won the rights to broadcast swimming and aquatic sports coverage, British Swimming has announced.

The four-year rights deal will allow fans to follow the sport on the BBC in the run-up to the 2012 Olympics and the Commonwealth Games in 2014.

Over the next year, coverage will include the FINA Diving World Series, the LEN Synchronised Swimming Champions Cup and the Olympic trials in 2012.

Coverage will be shown on TV, BBC Red Button and the BBC Sport website.

British Swimming chief executive David Sparkes welcomed the deal and said: "The BBC has worked with swimming for many years and we welcome this renewed commitment from them as we follow the journey of our elite athletes to the Games in London and beyond."

British Swimming will also be partnering the BBC to launch the Big Splash - a UK-wide campaign to encourage more people into the pool.

Director of BBC Sport Barbara Slater said: "We have a rich heritage of covering aquatic sports on the BBC and are delighted to be in a position to continue this commitment at what is a key time for the sport with the 2012 Olympics on the horizon.

"BBC Sport is also making a further commitment through the Big Splash, which we hope will encourage more people to get swimming across the country."