“Olympics, player safety & the future of Waterpolo” – Spain Head Coach David Martín Lozano (Part 2)

In this second part of the conversation, David Martín Lozano, head coach of the Spanish men’s national team, talks openly about the structural problems facing international water polo today: an overloaded schedule, player safety, political decision-making within FINA and LEN, and the need to rethink the sport from the perspective of the athletes.

David begins by comparing water polo philosophies around the world. A decade ago, the sport showed clear stylistic differences – the Latin style of Spain, Italy and Greece versus the Balkan and Hungarian schools. But with the 2019 rule changes, he argues that modern water polo has become faster, more intense and more physically demanding, unifying the styles across nations. Pressing is higher, movement is constant, and the physical gap between countries is shrinking. Even Japan’s unique ultra-pressing “Tokyo style” has influenced global coaching.

A major section of the episode focuses on the Olympic Games – the emotional pressure, the media intensity, the memories and the experience of facing legends like Filipović, Prlainović and Pijetlović. David explains why Tokyo was the first time he truly believed Spain would win a medal, and how stepping into the Olympic Village, surrounded by stars like Rafael Nadal and NBA players, shapes an athlete’s mindset. He also reveals why first-time Olympians often struggle to stay focused amid the atmosphere, distractions and sheer magnitude of the event.

The discussion then turns to the central topic of the episode: player protection and the increasingly dangerous competition calendar. David describes how elite players often have only 10 days to prepare for a World Championship after the Champions League Final Eight – a situation he calls “crazy and unsustainable.” With more matches, fewer rest days, shorter quarters, less recovery time between actions, and a growing number of injuries, he warns that the sport is heading toward a crisis:
“We must protect the athletes. Without star players, the sport loses its identity.”

He points to previous World Championships where top nations like Serbia arrived without seven of their best players simply because athletes needed rest. For David, this is an alarming sign: a World Championship without the best players is like football without Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo – it damages the credibility of the sport.

David also criticizes the lack of coordination between FINA and LEN, where competitions overlap, calendars collide and political decisions override the needs of players and coaches. He argues for a unified approach, where federations and top coaches work together to create a sustainable, long-term model for water polo – one that prioritizes athlete welfare over politics.

The episode concludes with David’s belief that water polo must return to its core values: quality games, fewer but better competitions, space for recovery, and the certainty that when kids watch a World Championship, they see their idols in the pool.