USA Swimming‘s House of Delegates made a total of 18 adoptions and amendments to their rules and regulations on September 29th, including the previously announced ban of tech suits for 12 & unders.
The rule states that no technical suits shall be worn by any 12 & under USA Swimming athlete in competition at any sanctioned, approved or observed meet, though there will be exceptions for Junior Nationals, the US Open, National Championships, and the Olympic Trials. Read more about it here.
Another significant adoption was the voting to implement a new “stated gender” section for registering athletes. Amendment R-1 establishes that athletes can pick whether they identify as male or female “for the purpose of athlete swimming eligibility, competition, selection and records.” It also states that “an athlete’s stated competition category shall be referred to as ‘gender’.
Some of the other notable changes were advertising for any product involving alcohol, tobacco, etc.. at competitions won’t be allowed, and alcoholic beverages are prohibited in all areas of a meet’s venue, with exceptions including US Nationals, Trials class meets, US Open, Open Water Nationals and Pro Series events or other events approved by the Chief Marketing Officer.
All Adoptions/Amendments
- Effective Immediately – Competition Category/Protests: Athletes can pick whether they identify as male or female “for the purpose of athlete swimming eligibility, competition, selection and records. Protests against judgements made by starters, strokes and turns judges, etc, can only be made by the referee.
- Effective Immediately – Postponements: Meets postponed to a start date within 14 days of the original shall define age as of the first day of the original meet, more than 14 days the age will be defined as the date of the rescheduled meet.
- Effective September 1, 2020 – Suits: No tech suit can be worn by any 12 & under, exceptions being Junior Nationals, US Open, Nationals, Olympic Trials.
- Effective May 1, 2019 – Advertising: Advertising for products involving nicotine and cannabinoids join alcohol, tobacco, etc. in not being allowed.
- Effective Immediately – Racing starts: Swimmers not certified in racing starts may not use the backstroke ledge.
- Effective January 1, 2019 – Alcoholic beverages: The recognition of alcoholic sponsors join alcohol in being prohibited in all areas of the venue, exceptions include US Nationals, Trials class meets, US Open, Open Water Nationals and Pro Series events or other events approved by Chief Marketing Officer.
- Effective Immediately – Backstroke ledges: Should backstroke ledges be used, identical ledges shall be provided for all lanes.
- Effective May 1, 2019 – Floating line dividers and markings: A fixed mark shall be placed on any wall or the deck adjacent to an outside lane to correctly align the 15-meter buoys for judging underwater starts/turn distances. The mark on the wall or deck will be considered the default marking for officiating purposes.
- Effective Immediately – Requirements for sanction: No sanction will be granted for any event where the word ‘Paralympic’ is used unless consent is obtained by USA Swimming, joining the word ‘Olympic’.
- Effective January 1, 2019 – Requirements for approval: Operation of a drone, or any flying apparatus, is prohibited over the venue any time athletes, coaches, officials and/or spectators are present.
- Effective January 1, 2019 – Code of conduct: Any violation of the FINA Rules on the Prevention of Manipulation of Competition as found in the current FINA Manual, including (i) betting: (ii) manipulating competitions; (iii) corrupt conduct; (iv) misuse of inside information; (v) failure to report; and (vi) failure to cooperate.
- Effective January 1, 2019 – Voting: Zone Directors shall be members of the House of Delegates.
- Effective January 1, 2019 – LSC Affiliations: Various changes to LSC affiliations by a club member.
- From now until January 1, 2020 is the time frame in which LSCs can submit new bylaws.
To read the full adoptions and amendments, click here.
What can of worms just got opened for the gender identification? So a guy can say he is a girl and then compete with a distinct advantage? No other criteria then just making that identification? Is there more to come? All questions since I truly do not understand how this plays out.
There’s nothing new about “officials can only make disqualifications for swimmers within their jurisdiction.” That’s been the case for longer than I’ve been around.
Can somebody confirm passage of 6 ft (or 2 meters I really don’t care) for diving depth effective immediately. Most pools we swim in don’t meet that.
The water depth rule didn’t change. The only part that changed is that swimmers who aren’t certified in racing starts must start in water (here’s the part that changed ~~~~>) without a backstroke ledge.
Is it a typo it did they really pass a rule that minimum depth shall be 2 meters but diving depth must be 6 feet?
Really? Did anyone who can read English or anyone who understands measuring things not comment? Anywhere in the process?
The water depth rule didn’t change. The only part that changed is that swimmers who aren’t certified in racing starts must start in water (here’s the part that changed ~~~~>) without a backstroke ledge.