I just saw an article about the new FINA swim rules and I'm confused about the one relating to swimming unattached in a SCM or LCM meet. The new rule states that if a swimmer does enter a meet as unattached not only will his or her time not count for FINA top ten or a record, but that everyone in the meet will also have their times be unrecognized. Sounds a bit harsh.
Also, backstrokers can no longer finish underwater. How will that be judged? What if your entire body is submerged on the final lunge except for the toes of one foot completing a final kick?
Clarification from our rule gurus please.
So is the implication that this person or persons are making up times?No.
I thought that now our UNAT is a USMS club for FINA purposes; that was the whole purpose in passing the new UNAT-related rules. How can it satisfy FINA in a general sense but not for Worlds?I believe the primary reason for the new USMS rules is so times achieved at USMS sanctioned events can be considered for FINA records and top times; and not throw out because one or more swimmers were not attached to registered member clubs of USMS. Worlds is not a USMS sanctioned event. What will be accepted as valid clubs for Worlds will be up to that country’s NGB.
Then it makes the rule even more bizarre. Why would they care otherwise?
well to understand FINA you must:
1) not be a swimmer
2) like making up obscure rules
3) use language in such rules as to be even more confusing (ie seperated...yet is touching side-by-side)
4) be affraid of getting your tan jacket wet
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Then it makes the rule even more bizarre. Why would they care otherwise?
As I stated in post #12, there are people who are not aligned with any club or national federation. The second part of that is where FINA gets interested. They do not want to recognize anybody in the record books that does not represent a member federation. Control is important to FINA.
As I stated in post #12, there are people who are not aligned with any club or national federation. The second part of that is where FINA gets interested. They do not want to recognize anybody in the record books that does not represent a member federation. Control is important to FINA.
I have to admit I'm still confused... so wouldn't someone in USMS "club unat" be representing USMS (USMS being the member federation)? I thought that's basically what the new USMS rule says?
so wouldn't someone in USMS "club unat" be representing USMS (USMS being the member federation)?
Yes, and that's why USMS created the unattached club (I presume). It gives the option for swimmers to be members of USMS (and their LMSC) while not being a member of a club--unless you think "club unattached" is really a club. ;)
I read somewhere that you can't enter Worlds without being attached to a club. First, is that true, and second, if so, does this new USMS rule allow one to enter Worlds under "Team Unat"?
no, you have to enter with a club recognized by your federation (USMS in our case).
I don't quite understand. I thought that now our UNAT is a USMS club for FINA purposes; that was the whole purpose in passing the new UNAT-related rules. How can it satisfy FINA in a general sense but not for Worlds?
1) Yes, it's true, 2)no, you have to enter with a club recognized by your federation (USMS in our case).
The reason that Europe seems to hate unattached swimmers is that somewhere, one or more people who have no ties to any federation have tried to gain recognition on FINA's top ten lists by calling themselves unattached. Only in these cases, it is more of a globally unattached thing. So, since only USA and a very few other countries even recognize unattached (meaning not representing a club) swimmers, FINA has created this kind of new ruling to protect our legal swimmers from being supplanted by unattached interlopers. It affected our rules a little more significantly because we have a 60 day non-compete rule that allows someone to transfer between clubs by becoming unattached for a short time.
Clear yet?
