Barcelona, host to the 2003 world championships is to hold the same event 10 years on in 2013 following the withdrawal of Dubai on financial grounds. 

The Gulf state won the vote to host the 2013 FINA showcase event in competition with Moscow and Hamburg but subsequently withdrew, unable to afford to stick with its commitment in the midst of the global financial downturn. Dubai will host the world short-course championships this December.

"We are very glad to have received the excellent candidature of Barcelona (ESP) for the 15th FINA World Championships in 2013. Still with vivid memories from the 1992 Olympic Games and the 2003 FINA World Championships in this exciting city, these Championships will be another milestone in our history and a great event for Barcelona. In a way, this is also tribute to former IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch and his love for Sport and Aquatic disciplines," said FINA President, Dr. Julio Maglione.

Barcelona's bid was put forward by the Royal Spanish Swimming Federation, which recently campaigned behind the scenes to have its star swimmer, Rafa Munoz, let off after he missed three anti-doping tests. Subsequently, Munoz was indeed let off, on the grounds that one of his tests was missed at a time when he was psychologically vulnerable. Some experts believe that that case set precedent in terms of adhering to the terms of the WADA Code and created a legal loophole for those involved in future cases.