USA Swimming To Vote On New Regulations At USAS Convention

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

USA Swimming will have its annual meeting in Jacksonville, Florida, this week as part of the United States Aquatic Sports (USAS) Convention.

Among the proposals to be vote on is a regulation to promote diversity and inclusion as a national directive, one that can not be altered at a local level because of local ordinances or a decision of local leadership.

Another proposal is banning the use of tech suits by 12-and-younger swimmers.

Here are some of the items that will be voted on and their current recommendation status for approval:

Recommended for Approval:

• To support a sport culture of inclusion and diversity, while assuring a fair competitive environment and seeking a national directive that does not permit modification at the local level

• To establish definition of age for postponed meets

• To ban the use of technical suits by 12 & under swimmers

• To include cannabinoids as a prohibited advertised product

• To comply with current practices for swimwear disqualifications

• To ensure safety of athletes, officials, coaches and spectators at all USA Swimming sanctioned events. Naming a Meet Safety Director will put meet safety planning into the sanctioning process as well as during the meet

• To prohibit the use of backstroke ledges by swimmers that have not been certified for racing starts

• To provide host clubs and LSCs the ability to include sponsorship from alcohol brands for non-swimming competition functions and to allow alcohol brands to include sponsorship for specific senior level competitions

• To ensure when backstroke ledges are used that all lanes will have ledges and that all ledges will be identical

• To comply with FINA requirements for Backstroke Turn Indicators

• To clarify required consent from USA Swimming as the word “Paralympic” has the same protections and usage guidelines within the United States as the word “Olympic”

• To address the potential safety and safe sport concerns involving the growing use of drones at sporting events

• To allow an LSC the ability to ban the use of technical suits by 12 & under swimmers provided such policy has been adopted by the LSC’s House of Delegates

• To comply with FINA’s new rules on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions

• To clarify the standard used to determine a club’s eligibility to request reassignment to a different LSC as some clubs use multiple facilities and/or PO Boxes making mailing addresses insufficient to reflect the true location of the club

• To amend voting requirements by the Houses of Delegates for changes in LSC afflation by a club member

• To change the voting requirement for approval by the House of Delegates to simple majorities for changes in LSC territory

• To simplify the overall process of merging two LSCs and to model that process after the private sector where Boards of two corporations approve merging the corporations and then get concurrence from a majority of the stockholders

• To enable LSCs to set themselves up to operate effectively by making the Required LSC Bylaws shorter and less complex

See the full list of proposals and possible changes here.

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Dan Seidberg

5 years ago

100% in favor of eliminating tech suits for 12&U, and NOT leaving that up to individual LSC’s

Diane Weber

5 years ago

I I totally disagree with allowing any involvement with alcohol,wether from sponsorships, advertising or eventual sales. The sport of swimming should stay clear of this.. Swimming athletes have always been recognized as some of the hardest working and smartest while in school. We don’t need to appear as sanctioning the use of alcohol. If it’s for financial gains, which it probably is, find another source
USA swimming has had enough other questionable issues over the last couple of years,, they don’t need to add to them. This decision will come back to prove to be a bad one.
I’m a parent of a retired successful swimmer. I’ve been to hundreds of meets. Please re-think this proposed change..

Erik Wiken

5 years ago

Reply to Diane Weber

You do realize this sport has deified a person guilty of a DUI and photographed taking rips from a bong, right?

The proposal is talking about senior meets. We are also a sport that expects meets to be run and it takes money to run meets. If a local vineyard, distillery, craft brewery wants to support a meet and help a team make it, is it really that bad of a situation?

There is also time to request friendly amendments, that the choices people make under the influence and the prevention of can be required advertisement?

Kathy Hance

5 years ago

Let me get this straight… we are super concerned what suit a 12&U is wearing but not one thing about safe sport on this list other then prohibiting drones!!! Come on USA Swimming you are better then this. Deal with the fact that the house is on fire!! Protect our kids, make it a safe environment – free from the fear of being assaulted, being marginalized, or being bullied. Let’s make that our number one priority and until that isn’t fixed with a plan a whole lot more substantial then a coloring book there should be nothing else on the table for a vote!!

5 years ago

I have complained about a child being bullied by an assistant coach who happens to be a parent on the team as well. Nothing done and no consequences for said coach. But, those suits!

5 years ago

Reply to J

all instances documented. God forbid something happens, we wont be silent. Suits though!

5 years ago

I have reported bullying and documneted numerous instances of a coach bulkying a 10 year old and no consequences. Furthermore, that coach is a parent of kids the same age and in same group of the children being bullied. But, but…….those suits!