COMMON DISQUALIFICATIONS FREESTYLE BREASTSTROKE Failure to touch at the turn. (NOTE: if Body not on breast when beginning first touch missed, swimmer may scull back arm pull following start or turn. and make a legal touch or may come Arms not in the same horizontal plane back if he/she missed the wall, but only on first arm pull. in freestyle.) Raise hand when At the start or after any turn, head still observed. below the water surface when the hands Walking or springing from the bottom begin to turn inward at the widest part of the pool. of the second arm stroke . Finishing in the wrong lane. Arm pull past hipline except for the first Getting artificial assistance (e.g., pulling pull at the start or after a turn on lane lines or pushing off side walls.) Over-the-water recovery with elbows out of the water (except at the turn or BACKSTROKE finish). Sidestroke or scissors kick (any Standing in or on the gutter at the alternating movement). starting signal (Starter's call).[NOTE: Butterfly kick other than prior to the Toes may be curled over the gutter in first breaststroke kick after the start or the NVSL!] turn. Swimmer submerged after start or turn Touch not simultaneous or one-hand and head surfacing beyond 15 meters touch on turns or finish. (Need not be on (16.4 yards). the same level.) Getting artificial assistance. Flutter or scissors kick Turning shoulders past vertical on the Body not at or past the vertical towards turn and, after pulling forward with arm the breast when swimmer leaves wall already in motion, then either gliding after a turn. some more or taking additional Dog paddle with hands/arms by younger kicks/pulls to bring swimmer closer to swimmers, either at start or throughout. the wall before initiating the Incorrect cycle. Start with kick before somersaulting action. (Note: this the first pull. Or lack of one-to-one constitutes a pause in the turning relationship between arm stroke and action!) kick. swimmer misses touch on wall and sculls back to touch. BUTTERFLY Failure to return to or past vertical toward the back when feet leave the Alternating (flutter) kick. wall on the turn. Scissors or breaststroke kick. Turning shoulders past vertical toward Arm recovery not over the water after the breast at the finish. pull into the turn or finish (usually characterized by short pull and an underwater, stabbing touch). Northern Virginia Swimming League Page 1 of 2 COMMON DISQUALIFICATIONS 05/2008 Hand touch not simultaneous or 1-hand Following turn rather than finish rules touch. (NOTE: Hands need not be at the when turning from one stroke to another same level on either turns or the finish.) (e.g., when going from backstroke to Swimmer submerged after start or turn breaststroke, the swimmer's shoulders in and head surfacing beyond 15 meters the backstroke may NOT turn past (16.4 yards). vertical prior to the touch of the wall). Arms not recovering simultaneously over the water (alternating arm pulls). RELAYS One or both arms not recovering over water. Note: as long as some portion of Early take-off (swimmer on the deck the arms break the surface this is leaves before incoming swimmer considered “overwater.” touches the wall) (RTOs call— remember the NVSL now requires dual INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY confirmation of early take-offs). Running take-off (Referee’s call). Violation of any rule pertaining to Failure to swim proper order of strokes. individual strokes. (NOTE: when Stroke violation. turning from the butterfly to the Failure to swim required distance. backstroke, after a legal touch, the Entering the water without permission: swimmer's shoulders must be at or past whole team is disqualified if any the vertical toward the back when the member, other than the swimmer swimmer’s feet leave the wall.) designated to swim, enters the pool before all other competitors have finished! (Ref's call). Northern Virginia Swimming League Page 2 of 2 COMMON DISQUALIFICATIONS 05/2008 .