Some of Australian swimming's biggest names have hit the jackpot after being selected for a star-studded London team that will feature in a lucrative breakaway league this year.
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Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers, Cate and Bronte Campbell plus Emma McKeon will snub FINA's official Champions Swim Series (CSS) to contest the International Swimming League (ISL) bankrolled by billionaire Konstantin Grigorishin.
A huge pay day awaits the Dolphins quartet with cashed up Grigorishin promising big money prize money after investing almost $A32 million into the competition's inaugural competition that will start in October.
It ensures the high profile Dolphins will not contest the CSS which was created by world body FINA in a direct response to the ISL.
FINA reportedly initially threatened to ban any competitor who contested the ISL but the world body has since publicly clarified it would not block athletes to end a stand-off with angry swimmers.
FINA will launch their invitation-only, $A5.5 million CSS - which they have described as the "richest swimming event in history" - in Guangzhou, China next month with a May leg in Budapest and an Indianapolis round that will be completed by June 1.
It clashes with Australia's national championships to be held in Adelaide from April 7-12 and the world titles selection trials in Brisbane from June 9-14.
Instead Australia's high profile swimmers have opted for the ISL which will run over six legs from October to December featuring eight teams based in either Europe or the United States.
The top two teams from the US and Europe will qualify for the finals, which will be held in Las Vegas in December.
The London team is the first to be unveiled by the ISL and will be led by Olympic champion breaststroker Adam Peaty of England.
Australia's Rob Woodhouse - a former Olympic medallist - is the London team's general manager.
"We're making the dreams of swimmers come true," Peaty told BBC Sport.
"Twenty years ago swimmers wanted this kind of thing to happen and finally now it is happening at a time the whole world of sport is changing.
"Athletes are realising they have leverage and potential for something like this."
Australian Associated Press
