September Rule Changes

USA Swimming announced some minor technical rules changes which went into effect on September 23. These changes have also been incorporated into the online tests.

These edits to the technical rules, with one exception, don't change how we officiate the stroke rules. Rather they clarify the existing language.

"... at the finish", was removed from Backstroke because it was being confused with prior to the finish. The Backstroke rules allow a swimmer to be submerged for the first 15 meters from the start and turn along with during the turn. Other than that the swimmer may not be submerged. If the swimmer is submerged (completely below the surface of the water) at any other time then that is a violation. If the swimmer has "finished" then their race is over and we're no longer applying those technical rules to them. Therefore "at the finish" wasn't needed; especially since it was causing some confusion.

"immediate" was added to the Backstroke turn. This is to emphasize that going past vertical to the breast is only allowed as part of their turn. It reinforces that there cannot be a delay between going past vertical and an arm pull.

Language was add to Breaststroke and Butterfly to clarify that it is permissible, after the touch, to turn in any manner as long as the swimmer's body is on the breast when leaving the wall.

One change to Breaststroke and Butterfly is new ...

    The touch shall be made with both hands separated ...

I'm told that this new language originated from some FINA member countries which felt a touch with the hands together was the equivalent of a one hand touch. Dan McAllen (Chair, Rules & Regulations Committee) issued an interpretation on this rule. He wrote ...

At its Congress in 2013, FINA adopted rules changes requiring the swimmer's hands be separated at turns and the finish touch in both breaststroke and butterfly. Since the word "separated" is subject to interpretation, for purposes of the turn and finish rules in both breaststroke and butterfly the following shall be determinative.

(1) "Separated" means that the hands may touch each other at the thumbs (no visual separation required) but there can be no overlap or interlocking of the hands, including thumbs and fingers, whatsoever.

(2) A swimmer who simultaneously has the thumbs touching and the tips of the index fingers (picture a little triangle) is legal. Likewise, a simultaneous two hand touch with only the tips of the index fingers touching each other is legal.

(3) It is legal for the hands to be one over the other if there is space between them. However, one hand cannot be resting on top of the other, nor can the palms be pressed together in a prayer position at the touch.

(4) It is legal to touch with the fingers and have the thumbs under the hand or pointing downward, in which case the index fingers may be touching.

A little common sense will go far in applying this rule if one remembers that the goal is for the swimmer to touch with both hands separately and not joined in any way that could be construed as creating a single unit.

It's been my experience and that of others I've spoken to that we rarely see swimmers touch with their hands together. We're probably going to spend more time, over the next few months, talking about this than we will calling it.