CMAS Europe

27/04/2026

What’s the future of underwater sports? How can we make sure all our underwater and scuba teaching meet high safety standards across the continent?

The CMAS Europe board got together at the General Assembly in France last week and we took the opportunity to work through these topics.

Thanks everyone for your openness and for sharing your ideas and experiences!

🙏🏻 It’s great to see that even though we come from so many different countries and cultures we can support each other when facing similar challenges.

19/03/2026

19/03/2026

March 8th has passed, but the conversation hasn’t.

Today, we’re visiting the Netherlands! 🇳🇱

We wanted to show how the Dutch freediving community is growing.

We see women and men training together, because in freediving, your life literally depends on your buddy; no matter who they are.

We’re highlighting the women in this video who are pushing their limits and taking up their space in a sport that’s all about quiet strength and focus.

It’s not about being „better than“; it’s about being there, mindful and present.

While the sport is a team effort involving everyone, we wanted to highlight the women sharing their stories here:

⭐️the instructors
⭐️the safety divers
⭐️and the athletes.

They are the ones teaching the techniques and keeping their buddies safe.

Whether they are the ones holding their breath or the ones watching the clock on the surface, their presence is the backbone of the freediving scene.

🩵 The underwater world is for everyone. And we’ll keep fighting for that.

Thanks for this great video Nederlandse Onderwatersport Bond 🙏🏻

08/03/2026

It’s International Women’s Day! To mark the occasion, we’ve gathered some videos from across our CMAS Europe federations.

Shout out to Naomi and NELOSvzw , the Flemish speaking federation from Belgium 🇧🇪, for producing this beautiful video. Thank you so much!

We know the fight for equality is a constant, 365-day job. But this week, we’re taking the space to highlight the success and dedication of women in our sport.

We’re honoring all the women, who show up in, on, and under the water, and are the, often invisible, force on the surface that keeps our community together and makes this sport possible for everyone.

Thank you!

The underwater world is for all of us, and we’ll keep fighting for it.

07/03/2026

International Women’s Day is tomorrow! To mark the occasion, we’ve gathered some videos from across our CMAS Europe federations.

Shout out to Ffessm - Fédération Française d'Etudes & de Sports, the French federation 🇫🇷 for producing this great movie. 👏

We know the fight for equality is a constant, 365-day job. But this week, we’re taking the space to highlight the success and dedication of women in our sport.

We’re honoring all the women who show up in, on, and under the water, and are the, often invisible, force on the surface that keeps our community together and makes this sport possible for everyone.

Thank you!

The underwater world is for all of us, and we’ll keep fighting for it.

29/11/2025

[⚠️date change for 🇪🇸] The water gets colder, the suits thicker, and the length of travel to warm diving spots longer …. Fret not! You can stay warm AND immerse yourself in the world of diving by visiting a dive expo!

Check our overview.👇

Antwerp's Dive Expo kicks off the season next weekend!

📍Antwerp, Belgium
Dec 6-7, 2025
Dive-Expo

📍Paris, France
Jan 8-11, 2026
Salon International de la Plongée Sous-marine

📍Düsseldorf, Germany
Jan 17-25, 2026
boot Düsseldorf

📍Bologna, Italy
Feb 20-22, 2026
Eudi Show

📍Barcelona, Spain
Mar 13-15, 2026
Salón de la Inmersión

We know many of our amazing European federations and CMAS friends will be there! If you see someone sporting CMAS gear, don't be shy and say hello. 😊

⬇️Tag a buddy you want to meet at an expo this winter! 🤗

18/11/2025

🤩A successful weekend in Amsterdam!

The CMAS Europe member federations travelled to the Netherlands last weekend to hold the CMAS Europe annual general assembly. Several representatives also joined online.

This year was especially important as the members appointed a new board.

ℹWe are delighted to announce our new board, which was elected for another four years:

🔸Board Chair: Ronny Margodt
🔸Secretary General: Catarina Emsevik
🔸Vice President: Bernard Schittly
🔸Treasurer: Jesper Jacobi Risløv
🔸Ambassador to the EUF: Jesper Rislov
🔸Ambassador to CMAS International: Catarina Emsevik
🔸Director of the Technical Committee: Marc Allemeersch
🔸Responsible Board Member for the Website: João José
🔸Board Member: Adrian Leister
🔸Board Member: Raymond Adam

Thank you for accepting your new or renewed responsibility!

We also said goodbye to our longstanding board member and scientific director, John Geurts from Nederlandse Onderwatersport Bond (NOB), Netherlands, and our equally appreciated board member, Eduardo Centelles from FEDAS - Federación Española de Actividades Subacuáticas, Spain. A big thank you to both of you for your dedicated work and the great collaboration!

Thank you to everyone who came out and to those who joined online! It is always great to get together, catch up, plan new projects, or simply share our perspectives from across the continent.

🤗Last, but not least, we extend our warm gratitude to our Dutch member Nederlandse Onderwatersport Bond for hosting us.

See all of you again soon!

Until then, dive safe.🐬

31/10/2025

🤫Scuba diving demands peak cognitive performance: clear judgment, perfect coordination, and instant reactions.

Using Cannabis (including Ma*****na & Hashish) impairs these essential skills - due to its psychoactive component, THC. It significantly increases your risk of a serious or fatal accident underwater.

Why exactly?

🧐THC impairs judgment. When combined with Nitrogen Narcosis, you face amplified anxiety and dangerously delayed emergency response.

😵‍💫Impaired cognition means you misread instruments, ignore vital procedures, or misinterpret your body’s critical signals.

⬆️Loss of buoyancy control: Lost coordination makes essential buoyancy and fine motor control impossible.

🤷🏼Distortion of depth perception leads to severe disorientation and uncontrolled ascent risks.

💔Cannabis can spike your heart rate, dramatically increasing air consumption and quickly causing physical fatigue.

🚭Any smoking irritates the lungs, raising the risk of a severe Pulmonary Barotrauma (lung injury) during ascent.

This rule is simple: Only sober diving is safe diving.