FINA Announces Rule Changes for Swimming, Adjustment to Lochte Rule

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FINA has announced a series of technical changes for Swimming and Masters that will go into effect this fall. Among the changes: The so-called “Lochte rule” has been adjusted.

Previously, a swimmer could be on his or her back at no point while swimming freestyle during a medley race (IM or medley relay). That rule led to several DQs in the 400 IM at U.S. Nationals, including of apparent women’s runner-up Ella Eastin.

The rule has now changed to allow some wiggle room on the turns: “In medley swimming, on the freestyle section, the “swimmer must be on the breast except when executing a turn. The swimmer must return to the breast before any kick or stroke”. Moreover, each of the strokes must cover one quarter of the distance.”

Jay Thomas, Chairman of the USA Swimming Rules Committee, told Swimming World at Nationals that this change was likely. The previous rule had come under fire since swimmers naturally push off on their backs when swimming freestyle, but this rule gives athletes a bit more wiggle room to move towards their front.

“That would allow a swimmer to be towards their back, provided they are not kicking or stroking, to give them the time to roll,” Thomas explained.

Note that this rule will not take effect at the World Championships this week. Other rule changes announced include the prohibition of underwater kicking on one’s side during butterfly (i.e., the body cannot be at vertical) and the official elimination of timing to the 1/1000 of a second.

Read the full list of rule changes for Swimming and Masters below.

SWIMMING

–    Update on the number of required timekeepers;
–    Redefinition of the Inspector of Turns’ role;
–    Precision on the butterfly rules. From now on, underwater kicking on the side is not allowed;
–    In medley swimming, on the freestyle section, the “swimmer must be on the breast except when executing a turn. The swimmer must return to the breast before any kick or stroke”. Moreover, each of the strokes must cover one quarter of the distance;
–    Timing to 1/1000 of a second is no longer a possibility;
–    World Records can only be established in water with less that 3gr/litre of salt.

MASTERS

–    World Records are only accepted if recorded by automatic officiating equipment;
–    Introduction of Mixed Team events in Diving and Mixed Duets in Synchronised Swimming;
–    Revision of the required elements in synchronised swimming routines;
–    Update on the World Record application form.

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Kresimir

6 years ago

They don’t even understand their own sport. Freestyle means that you are allowed to choose whatever style you wish. Swimmers choose front crawl because it’s generally the fastest. Why shouldn’t a swimmer use backstroke at some point. If you impose restrictions it’s not FREE anymore. Just another case of clerks wanting to be important.

ADK

6 years ago

Reply to Kresimir

“In Medley Swimming”

Brent Rutemiller

6 years ago

Reply to Kresimir

Freestyle, as an individual event, can be preformed as “whatever style you wish”. However, in the IM, the athlete can only swim the crawl (better known as freestyle) during the final leg of the IM. Hope this clarifies the difference.

Jens ellebaek

6 years ago

Reply to Brent Rutemiller

As medley has to consist of 4 different strokes, and as the swimmer has already swum fly, back and breast, effectively that means the swimmer can not swim any of those strokes again.

Backstroke defines any stroke where you are located on the back, hence this rule has been specified further.

Leander

6 years ago

Reply to Kresimir

In medley relays and individual medleys, the final quarter of the race has been any other stroke except the first three for more than 50 years.

Bob Perkins

6 years ago

They should reinstate Ella Easton in the 400 IM…
Rowdy Gaines thoughts?

Ed Eckels

6 years ago

Reply to Bob Perkins

She would have been DQ’d under new rules also. No stroke or kick until towards breast.

Bob Perkins

6 years ago

Reply to Bob Perkins

True.

Paul Cate

6 years ago

Still not well worded as a rule per how people actually execute a turn.

Mason Hutchison

6 years ago

This was literally the dumbest rule in sports history

Glenn Eckholm

6 years ago

great. a few weeks late, but great.

Hannah Davies

6 years ago

About time

Jaden Harris

6 years ago

Drew Ross-Ashby

Anna Nilsen

6 years ago

Thea Maria Nilsen

Anna Nilsen

6 years ago

Odd Ivar Nilsen

Patsy Morin

6 years ago

Matthew Gougeon

Paul Poitevent

6 years ago

If a turn is legal in freestyle should that same turn not be legal in the freestyle leg of the IM? This rule is still wrong and open to interpretation as your body must be not undulating at all(could be interpreted as kicking) until you are completely on your stomach. Still grey IMO.

Neil Morgan

6 years ago

“Moreover, each of the strokes must cover one quarter of the distance;”
Does this just mean you can’t do a stroke that you’ve done already? I always thought the final leg of the IM was front crawl anyway, rather than freestyle (which really means “do whatever you want”).

Still, the rules about kicking on your back should be consistent for freestyle events and front crawl in IMs. Otherwise, it just creates a distinction between the two, which leads to confusion for the swimmers, and ultimately disqualifications. Swimmers should be able to do fly kicks however they like on the underwater sections of the front crawl leg, but must surface into a front crawl stroke.

As a swimmer, I don’t want to train my IM Front Crawl turns separately from my Freestyle turns, especially as during a race I may forget to do my IM turns on the Front Crawl leg and get disqualified if they aren’t legal.

Pedro Duarte

6 years ago

Reply to Neil Morgan

You can do whatever you want in freestyle except lhe 3 last styles 😉

Sarah Rogers

6 years ago

No dolphin kicks on your side during a butterfly race!!! That’s a step backwards!!! They slightly loosened the IM rule, but tightened a rule in butterfly! Where did this come from??!!! ?

Amelia Clara

6 years ago

I can only imagine how Ella Easton is feeling ?

Allen Wone

6 years ago

Reply to Amelia Clara

She would have still been dqd

Daniel Smith

6 years ago

Briana Batesole Did you see this

Rishi Gajjala

6 years ago

Yash Malviya

6 years ago

Reply to Rishi Gajjala

Rishi Gajjala

6 years ago

Reply to Rishi Gajjala

Not doing I.M this year? XD

Traci Eshelman Ramey

6 years ago

A little late now.

Pitila Thompson

6 years ago

Marlene Vuniwaqa Blake

Hayley

6 years ago

UM HELLO … everyone’s missing the biggest FAIL – – – no dolphin kick on your side in butterfly? Imagine how turning can be officiated. I always have what could be consodered some kicking on what could be perceived as my side coming off a wall in butterfly.

Cesar Garzon R.

6 years ago

Liliana Guzman Otalora esto salió desde que ensayamos los giros

Liliana Guzman Otalora

6 years ago

Reply to Cesar Garzon R.

Justo cuando aprendí jajaja

Jaana Nuutinen

6 years ago

Laura

Hannah Vaughan

6 years ago

Paige Smyth Oliver

Nermin Elhakim

6 years ago

Sherouk Elmahdy

Adam Bussey

6 years ago

Please stop posting links and add a little bit of commentary

Dee Carr

6 years ago

Jack Carr

Kathy Gillett

6 years ago

Very disappointed that fina wants to outlaw kicking on the side off the wall in butterfly!! It makes butterfly exciting to watch and much more progressive than same old tradition. Swimming is going backwards. Shame on them.

Hayley Andreasen

6 years ago

Reply to Kathy Gillett

Kathy,

I am the one that also disagreed above. I swam for Coach and Scott for 4 yrs (99-03). Still think about him all the time.

Hayley

TinaLee

6 years ago

So, In the IM and Medley Relay, for the Freestyle sector, the swimmers may turn and be on the back, but so long as No kicking is involved while on the back, it is Not a disqualification. But if you turn and kick while on the side or on the back, it IS a Disqualification.

Martin Levine

6 years ago

Are there five recognized strokes by FINA? It appears to swim IM you must swim ‘Crawl’, yet FINA doesn’t have any description of ‘crawl’! There are only descriptions of freestyle. IM should refer to freestyle rules, hence, you are allowed to be on the back. Come on FINA sort it out quickly to avoid further confusion and disappointment!

Brent Mifsud

6 years ago

Frank Sharp still gets dqd

Irene Hisham

6 years ago

Ismail Abdul Latif….Clement David….Edwina Ed….

Tina Kilbride

6 years ago

Oonagh Mckevit Yvonne Dewick

Dylan Cross

6 years ago

Brian Parks

Reid Rajack

6 years ago

Tanya Noel-Rajack

Rick Parker

6 years ago

Still bogus in my opinion. The free leg of the IM should be identical to straight freestyle.

Lum Halimi

6 years ago

Ilir

Lois Hammond

6 years ago

Then what is the definition of “on the side” for the butterfly underwater kick. Does the swimmers back/chest have to be in 90° angle to the water and is there a margin? When will he be off his “side” an on his chest ? It is very difficult to enforce rules like this with any consistency

Jan Charles Mittemeyer

6 years ago

Hilarious. Next it will be only 1 kick on your back, then all kicks must propel the swimmer into their breast, then in 20 years they will abandon it entirely.

Diana Chewning-Hunte

6 years ago

Rod O Rico Howard Hunte

Tony Goodwin

6 years ago

They have to justify their existence! Fancy making Masters swim in an electronic pool. We are flat out finding surveyed pools, let alone those which can afford electronic timing. The thought is fine but the practicalities are another thing altogether.