Olympic swimming champion Otylia Jędrzejczak of Poland was among nine female officials that have been elected by the World Aquatics Bureau ©Getty Images

World Aquatics has expanded its Bureau to 37 members with female representation growing in a strong push for gender equity here.

A total of 13 officials were added to the Bureau following an election staged at the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre yesterday.

Among those include nine women to increase female representation to 14 at the organisation, formerly known as the International Swimming Federation.

Sarah Keane, President of the Olympic Federation of Ireland and chief executive of Swim Ireland, has secured a place on the Bureau as well as Polish Swimming Federation President Otylia Jędrzejczak, who claimed three Olympic swimming medals at Athens 2004 including one gold and two silvers

The other new female members are South Korea’s Park Joo-hee, a member of the Olympic Council of Asia, Tang Kwai Mae, secretary general of Malaysia Swimming, two-time Olympian Ana Joselina Fortin of Honduras, Aruba’s Maureen Croes, head of the Swimming Union of the Americas, Farida Iddriss, treasurer of the Ghana Swimming Association, Monica Chang'anamuno, President of the Malawi Aquatic Union and Judy Otto, head of the Palau Swimming Association.

Serbia's three-time Olympic medallist Vanja Udovičić has been added to the World Aquatics Bureau ©Getty Images
Serbia's three-time Olympic medallist Vanja Udovičić has been added to the World Aquatics Bureau ©Getty Images

Vanja Udovičić, a former Serbian Sports Minister who claimed three Olympic water polo medals, has also been elected along with Sirichai Distakul, vice president of Thai Swimming Association, Yasser Mohamed Ibrahim Idris, chair of the Egyptian Swimming Federation and Brazilian Swimming Federation President Luiz Fernando Coelho De Oliveira.

The election of the 13 officials came just hours after a new constitution was passed at the World Aquatics' Extraordinary General Congress which includes the expansion of the Bureau.

World Aquatics President Husain Al-Musallam said he was overjoyed to give more women the chance to have their say on key decisions as part of the Bureau.

"I am delighted that the larger Bureau will have more guaranteed places for women," said Al-Musallam.

"The new Bureau will be roughly 38 per cent female.

"This is a big and very significant step forward for us.

"Of course, there is still much more that we can do.

"Our target must be a 50-50 split but this will take us much closer to that."