The proposed changes to artistic swimming scoring would remove the 100 point score limit ©Getty Images

The International Swimming Federation (FINA) has revealed plans to reform its artistic swimming scoring system here, with 10 judges set to rate the artistic impression and execution components which will hold equal weight.

Artistic impression judges would provide scores for choreography and musicality, performance and transitions.

Difficulty is set to be determined mathematically prior to the start of each routine, with a technical control group checking for errors worthy of deductions.

Under the changes, the score limit of 100 would also be scrapped.

This would move artistic swimming away from the long-standing system of using 15 judges to score for elements, worth 40 per cent, and execution and impression, both worth 30 per cent.

The FINA Bureau has approved the proposed rule changes, which are subject to a vote at the Technical Congress in October.

FINA has claimed that the new scoring system would make artistic swimming "faster, higher, stronger - and clearer", and also make the final round less predictable by allowing coaches to change their routines from the preliminary round.

There was no change in the top three of all 10 artistic swimming events at the ongoing FINA World Championships in Budapest.

FINA's Artistic Swimming Technical Committee chair Lisa Schott, who has sought to adjust the scoring system in the sport since assuming her position since 2017, insisted that "our athletes deserve a system that allows them to create world records".

Artistic impression and execution would be given equal weight under the changes to the artistic swimming scoring system ©Getty Images
Artistic impression and execution would be given equal weight under the changes to the artistic swimming scoring system ©Getty Images

She revealed that discussions had been held with Federations from figure skating and gymnastics, and said that "we're allowing ourselves to adjust as we go".

American head coach and four-time Olympic medallist with Spain Andrea Fuentes, who made headlines at the FINA World Championships when she dived into the pool to rescue Anita Álvarez after the athlete's loss of consciousness, welcomed the changes.

"From now on, it's going to be fair," she said.

"Every movement will have a value.

"The coach will have to think a lot about what is useful and what is not, without killing the creativity.

"I’m very excited because now I can use strategy."

The sport was renamed from synchronised swimming to artistic swimming at the FINA Congress in 2017.

It has featured on the Olympic programme since Los Angeles 1984, although only features the women's duet and team events at present.

The inclusion of a mixed event at Los Angeles 2028 has been touted, following a similar proposal that was unsuccessful for Tokyo 2020.