Who are we?

The International Association for development of Apnea (AIDA International) was born in 1992, which means it is the oldest and most experienced freediving federation worldwide. Our national branch AIDA Belgium is a non-profit organization founded by Jean-Pol François, Pascal Marquet, Frédéric Buyle, Patrick Musimu, Pierre Galère and Frédéric Vanderschueren in Liège, on August 17th, 2000.

AIDA Belgium has a great tradition of freediving education at national and international levels thanks to Jean-Pol François who was, for instance, the AIDA International Education Officer for about 6 years achieving, among others, what nobody achieved before, the creation of handbooks for AIDA freedivers.

AIDA Belgium has also a great tradition regarding competitive freediving. Indeed it organized about 30 official AIDA competitions so far, involving dozen of nationalities. Patrick Musimu was also the very first man who went 200m below the surface of the sea on one single breath of air.

Since July 18th, 2018, AIDA Belgium administrators are Philippe Desitter (AIDA Master Instructor), Felice Mastroleo (AIDA Instructor Trainer) and Paul Troisfontaines (AIDA Instructor). Together with effective members Wouter Van Crombruggen (AIDA Instructor), Jean Ploumhans and Inge Verbruggen (AIDA Instructor), they form the new AIDA Belgium board.

This motivated and experienced team will pursue the main goal of AIDA Belgium, meaning to develop and to promote freediving in Belgium.  

Besides, the new AIDA Belgium board will also represent AIDA Belgium freedivers within the AIDA Assembly together with another 40+ AIDA nationals. Indeed, AIDA International is a non-profit organization of freedivers comprised of international assembly who vote by the democratic process. Each AIDA national has one vote. The Assembly elects an executive board to manage the daily business of AIDA. The majority of the work accomplished by AIDA International is done by committee volunteers as well as AIDA Officers. AIDA Belgium current President, Felice Mastroleo, volunteers for the Education committee since 2011.

In other words, AIDA is an organization of freedivers for freedivers. So don’t hesitate to contact us to learn more about our activities and maybe to join forces in order to keep freediving a safe activity for everyone.

Our goals

  • Develop recreational and competitive apnea in open water and swimming pools.
  • Organize stages in Belgium and abroad.
  • Coordinate the training of the Belgian National Apnea Team.
  • Cooperate with all organizations, associations working for the development of freediving and scuba diving.
  • Contribute to accident prevention through the development of safety rules and supervisory standards.
  • Define the content of teaching and training.
  • Train freedivers from beginner to instructor level to practice apnea safely.
  • Create documents and educational tools to promote the teaching of apnea.
  • Train organisers and judges for competitions and the approval of national records.
  • Publish information about courses, practices, competitions and regulations.