Simplified Guide for Rule Changes
From 1 January 2014 you may be disqualified unless you conform with these changes.
Swimmers wanting to attempt FINA World records please see FINA Masters rule SW 5.3M
Do not wear any removable jewellery especially watches. Medic alert bracelets are ok. [SW10.8M]
Do not wear any adhesive taping without asking the Meet Referee’s approval. It will help you if you have a letter from your doctor or physiotherapist. [SW10.8M]
When the same distance is listed in a program for a Freestyle event and a form stroke event, you may swim any stroke in the Freestyle event but your time will only be recorded as Freestyle, ie, if there is a 200m Butterfly event and you swim Butterfly in the 200m Freestyle your time will not be recorded on the Results Portal as Butterfly for Top 10 or records, only as a Freestyle time. Where, say, the only 400m event is a 400m Freestyle you may mark your entry to swim any of the three form strokes, or the Individual Medley, so arrangements can be made to record your swim. [SW 10.17M]
At the start of your race you must be ready to swim. When the referee blows the long whistle you must step onto the front of the starting platform or enter the water. If you delay the start,eg, if you step into position and then put on a cap or goggles, you may be disqualified. [SW4.6M]
In Backstroke you cannot be completely submerged at the finish of your race. Some part of your body, e.g. a foot must be visible above the surface of the water. [SW 6.3]
When starting your turn in Backstroke, if you roll over to do a tumble turn you must do an immediate arm stroke, ie, you cannot glide then stroke. [SW 6.4] Double arm backstrokers must also touch the wall with some part of the body (or they may grab the top of the wall). If they roll onto the breast to turn they must not glide.
In both Breaststroke and Butterfly, when touching the end wall to turn or finish your hands must touch at the same time and they must be separated. They cannot be overlapping or touching one another. [SW 7.6 and SW 8.4]
In both Breaststroke and Butterfly, when turning you may use any action between the touch (see previous) and pushing off on the breast [SW7.2 and SW8.1], ie, you may do a tumble turn provided your hands touch the wall at the same time, and you leave the wall on your breast.
If you swim Butterfly events doing a breaststroke kick you must comply with the following rules:
1. You must take only one breaststroke kick underwater prior to your first arm pull [SW8.3M]. You can take as many butterfly kicks as you wish, provided your head breaks the surface by the 15m mark.
2. You must take only one breaststroke kick per butterfly arm stroke in all events except the 400m and 800m Butterfly; this means one kick per stroke in the 400m and 800m Individual Medleys. You can take a single breaststroke kick before each turn or at the finish without doing an arm stroke [SW8.3.1M].
3. In the 400m and 800m Butterfly events you can take two breaststroke kicks to each Butterfly arm stroke and you can take two kicks before each turn or at the finish without doing an arm stroke [SW 8.3.2M].