Q.1 I have not yet received my Swimming Officials News or Extracts of ASA Law. What should I do?
A.1 This mailing is undertaken by the ASA in Loughborough by using the personal details on the Integra (Membership) database. It may be that your details are incorrect or there has been a problem with the actual mailing. Contact the ASA in Loughborough and register your non-receipt
Q.2 The ASA handbook states an up to date list of qualified referees can be found on the website. I am unable to find it.
A.2 There are data protection issues with publishing this list. However, work is being undertaken to resolve this problem.
Q.3 After a Breaststroke start or turn, can a swimmer use a downward dolphin kick before an arm pull?
A.3 The downward dolphin kick is not permissible prior to the arm pull. During, or at the end of the arm pull of the first stroke after the start and after each turn, a single downward dolphin kick is allowed, but not required, followed by a Breaststroke kick. During the arm pull, if a downward dolphin kick is taken, it must be followed by a Breaststroke kick. It is not permissible to take only a downward dolphin kick without then taking a normal Breaststroke kick.
Q.4 In Breaststroke the FINA rule states ‘a single downward dolphin kick followed by a breaststroke kick is permitted while wholly submerged’ does that mean the whole of the swimmers body has to be underwater?
A.4 No - the description is intended to indicate where in the stroke cycle the downward dolphin kick may be taken. In stating that a ‘downward’ dolphin kick is permitted, it does not imply that an upward motion is illegal, upward motion has always been permissible.
Q.5 The use of the term ‘Referee’s Decision (RD)’ may now appear in situations where AOE is not in use. Why?
A.5 This notation has been adopted whenever a 'manufactured' time is applied by the Referee. This procedure was already being used in some parts of the Country and the SOC decided to standardise its' application with the new guidance. In events where no AOE is in use or there has been an AOE failure, any times that do not support the finish order are changed and the resulting 'manufactured' times are marked 'RD'. The reasoning being that these times are not real times but times calculated by the Referee and are therefore Referee Decision times.
Q.6 SW 2.4.2 refers to advertising (GR 7) but FINA rule GR 7 is Substitution, Disqualification and Withdrawal!!
A.6 FINA renumbered the General Rules and the change was overlooked when compiling the Extracts of FINA Rules. The correct reference should be GR 6.
Q.7 Why has the Judges Disqualification Report form been changed from a ‘tick in the box’
A.7 The ‘tick in the box’ format was introduced to ensure consistency in reporting by Judges to the Referee. However it has become apparent that the reports are not been completed either fully or accurately. Often the wrong box has been ticked, or alternatives in a rule eg. turn or finish – are not been deleted. For this reason a combined report and rule identification form has been introduced. It is accepted that it may take officials a little longer to complete, but in requiring the official to describe the swimmers action and relate it to the relevant rule the Referee will have the information to make a decision regarding disqualification. Should a decision regarding disqualification be the subject of a Protest the old form did not provide any evidence upon which the decision could be reviewed. The new form is based upon such forms used internationally at LEN, FINA and IPC competitions and will ensure that British Swimming remains in line with these organisations with whom we work.
