USA Swimming Clarifies One-Suit Rule in the U.S.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado, March 18. IN a memo sent out today to clarify just what "one suit" means in the U.S., USA Swimming deems that it is the strictest interpretation possible of the rule – one suit.

There have recently been a number of questions regarding the use of two swimsuits during competition. Although the USA Swimming Rules & Regulations do not specifically address this, FINA has interpreted its General Rule GR 5.3 to allow the use of only one swimsuit during competition.

Our Rules & Regulations require that USA Swimming's technical swimming rules conform to those of FINA. In order for our interpretation to conform to that used by FINA, the following interpretation is being made, effective immediately.

For purposes of Article 102.9 of the USA Swimming Rules & Regulations, Swimwear, the use of more than one swimsuit at a time during any USA Swimming sanctioned or approved competition is prohibited.

Up until FINA and USA Swimming released these interpretations, some were reading "one suit" as one technical suit allowed, whereas a more common suit might be worn underneath for the purposes of either modesty or ease of putting on a technical suit. This is no longer unclear, as only one item of fabric is permitted effective immediately in the U.S., as well as abroad based on FINA statements.

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