Lochte Rule Modifications Approved by USA Swimming

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Photo Courtesy: Kara Sekenski

As previously reported, there has been a rules clarification for the freestyle turn in individual medley races that USA Swimming will officially add to medley swimming rules on September 21, 2017. The change was made during the July 21 FINA Swimming Technical Congress in Budapest, Hungary, editing the so-called “Lochte Rule.”

Previously, at no point during the freestyle portion of an IM race could a swimmer be on their back. That rule has led to several controversial disqualifications, including several in the 400 IM at the most recent U.S. Nationals that left would-be qualifier Ella Eastin off of the United States World Championship team.

The new rules are copied below with the changes underlined:

“The stroke for each one-fourth of the designated distance shall follow the prescribed rules for that stroke, except in the freestyle, the swimmer must be on the breast except when executing a turn.

“Intermediate turns within each stroke shall conform to the turn rules for that stroke, except that in the freestyle turn, the swimmer must return to the breast before any kick or stroke.

Jay Thomas, the Chairman of the USA Swimming Rules Committee, had previously told Swimming World that this change was likely back at U.S. Nationals. In the interview, Thomas explains that rule change 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.

You can see the official rules on the USA Swimming website here.

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Terrence Moore Robinson Jr

enough of him..

Beth McNutt
6 years ago

It’s only named after him because he’s notorious for pushing off on his back on freestyle in the IM. It’s caused many disqualifications among my swimmers.

Tim Grubb
6 years ago

Ty Grubb

Sylvie Potvin
6 years ago

Ridiculous rule

Stephen gomez
Stephen gomez
6 years ago
Reply to  Sylvie Potvin

I agree!

In summer league I was dq’Ed for this on a medley relay by an overzealous judge kicking off on my side in fly. My coach and my mom who was a USA swimming official at tge time and on the league rules committee were able to get it overturned. This was 1999. He was out to get me for years after that

Now I’m in my 30s and he finally caught up with me!

Seriously this is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard of

Joe
Joe
6 years ago

Once again, impossible to officiate… It’s freestyle. As in FREE-STYLE. Whose monkeys are these, and why are they in charge of our sport?

Leander
Leander
6 years ago
Reply to  Joe

In medleys (individual and relay), it’s any other stroke except the first three.

Joe
Joe
6 years ago
Reply to  Leander

Yes, that’s what the rule book says, buy why? Because some idiot decided to add a sentence to the rule book, and no one questioned how it would be interpreted by other idiots. Until recently, freestyle was exactly as named “free” style… if I wanted to joint the monkeys, I could star disqualifying people for over-water recovery in the manner of butterfly. Yes, one arm in traditional freestyle recovers over the water. Done. DQ everyone. A butterfly kick off the wall is also a DQ because it is a kick in the manner prescribed as Butterfly. Done. DQ everyone again. Swimming in a cycle of one arm pull followed by one leg kick? DQ everyone again because they just represented the manner prescribed as Breastroke… Don’t tell the monkeys.

Alyce Bradac
6 years ago

Jake Miller

Sara Kent
6 years ago

Damian Bawden …

Nick Cittadino
6 years ago

The real swim shady…

Cheryl Zwijacz
6 years ago
Reply to  Nick Cittadino

Who happens to hold the world record in 200 IM. Now that’s not shady but comments like this are

Leander
Leander
6 years ago

Does anyone know if this rule is being adopted by FINA too?

Dave Hoover
6 years ago

I don’t get it. This essentially ends “freestyle”. The old “front crawl” is perhaps a better descriptor of the stroke with this rule change.

Leander
Leander
6 years ago
Reply to  Dave Hoover

You do not swim “freestyle” in a individual medley or a medley relay. You swim any other stroke but the first three.

Trish Kemp
6 years ago

Gareth Kemp

Ilse
6 years ago

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uus on Sunday is that Gοdd actually likes worship.
Daddy added.

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