About CMAS

Short History of CMAS (World Underwater Federation)

Founding: CMAS was founded on January 11, 1959, in Monaco. It was created to unify the various underwater disciplines (sports, photography, and science) under one international umbrella.

Key Figures: The most famous co-founder and the inaugural President was the legendary French oceanographer Jacques-Yves Cousteau. Another key figure was Luigi Ferraro, an Italian diving pioneer who served as Vice-President.

Origins: Before CMAS existed, underwater sports were administered by a committee within the International Confederation of Sport Fishing (CIPS). In 1958, delegates decided that the underwater world needed its own independent global body. CMAS emerged as the first international organization to set standards for scuba diving training and certification.

Mission: The organization is essentially the "Olympic" body for underwater sports (such as Finswimming and Freediving) and the global regulator of diver training standards. It is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and UNESCO.

All Courses

CMAS US Federation

  • Technical Comittee

    The CMAS Technical Committee acts as the organization's primary authority on recreational and technical diving standards, tasked with establishing safe, uniform training protocols used by federations worldwide. Responsible for creating and maintaining the renowned "CMAS Star" certification system for both divers and instructors, the committee develops comprehensive educational frameworks that ensure a high global baseline of safety while allowing member countries to adapt specific teaching methods to local environments. By rigorously defining the requirements for technical skills, equipment usage, and safety procedures, the committee ensures that CMAS certifications maintain international equivalence and credibility across borders.

  • Scientific Comittee

    The CMAS Scientific Committee serves as the global governing body for the academic and research-oriented applications of diving, bridging the gap between underwater exploration and formal scientific inquiry. While the Technical Committee focuses on how to dive, the Scientific Committee focuses on what to do while diving, establishing rigorous international standards for Scientific Diver certifications that allow marine biologists, archaeologists, and geologists to conduct legally recognized fieldwork underwater. Deeply aligned with UNESCO, this committee oversees major initiatives in marine conservation, invasive species monitoring, and the protection of underwater cultural heritage (such as shipwrecks and sunken ruins), ensuring that research diving is conducted with a uniform code of practice that prioritizes both diver safety and environmental integrity.

  • Sport Comittee

    The CMAS Sport Committee acts as the "Olympic" governing body for all underwater athletic disciplines, managing the rules, competitions, and world rankings for sports such as finswimming, freediving, underwater hockey, and spearfishing. Recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), this committee is responsible for organizing World and Continental Championships and ensuring that all competitions adhere to global anti-doping (WADA) standards. While it does not yet have a sport in the Olympic Games, it represents the highest level of competitive authority in the underwater world, coordinating with national federations (like the Underwater Society of America) to sanction events and maintain fair play across borders.