FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) – Swimming’s governing body pulled the 2005 world championships from Montreal on Wednesday because of local organizers’ failure to raise enough money.

FINA said it would accept news bids for the event and announce a new host by Feb. 15. Athens, the host of the 2004 Olympics, and Long Beach, Calif., are possible replacement sites, and the German swimming federation said it will consider submitting a bid from Munich or Berlin.

The championships were scheduled for July 17-31.

Canadian organizers said they were $5 million short of meeting their $30 million budget.

FINA said the unanimous decision of its 22-member executive bureau was made to maintain “the credibility of the world championships.”

In Montreal, organizers issued a statement expressing “deep regret” at FINA’s move.

“The organizing committee always remained confident that it could organize successful championships in Montreal,” the statement said. “However, the decision from FINA is the result of various partners not able to come to a compromise on the financing of the championships.”

The Greek swimming federation said it is ready to step in.

“FINA has proposed to us that we host the swimming championships and we referred the request to the government,” federation spokesman Fotas Chitos said. “We are prepared to host the event if it is not held in Montreal.”

Montreal is the first city to lose a major championship since London was dropped as host of the 2005 World Track and Field Championships in 2001 after plans for a national stadium were scrapped. Those championships were moved to Helsinki, Finland.