Freestyle Flip Turn Question regarding New FINA IM Rules

I would argue that the time on your back on the free turn is compensated by the time on your front during the backstroke turn.

1. Is a swimmer who leaves the wall in a position at or past vertical toward the *** and performing butterfly kicks considered to be performing butterfly and thereby be in violation of the rules? NO – for a swimmer to be considered to be swimming in the style of butterfly, they would have to perform butterfly kicks as well as a double arm pull and recovery over the water. I've got a slight issue with this interpretation. Is it really required to ever take an arm stroke in butterfly? There are no sequencing requirements in fly, so it seems like someone could just kick the entire race with their arms streamlined out front and not be disqualified as long as they surface by 15 meters off each wall. If that's the case it's contrary to this interpretation. By the way, I think this is one of the dumbest rule changes/clarifications of all time. It solved a problem which was not a problem to begin with. And, yes, I realize USMS is just aligning to the new FINA interpretation. FINA bears the responsibility for this abomination.

I've got a slight issue with this interpretation. Is it really required to ever take an arm stroke in butterfly? There are no sequencing requirements in fly, so it seems like someone could just kick the entire race with their arms streamlined out front and not be disqualified as long as they surface by 15 meters off each wall. If that's the case it's contrary to this interpretation. That is the case. Oksana Khrul (swimmer in lane 4 who wins this race from the 2012 Paralympics) is FINA-legal. m.youtube.com/watch

The push off on the back is no longer OK for freestyle in the IM and medley relay. Note that this interpretation applies to only the freestyle leg of the IM (any distance) and the medley relay (any distance), and the rules do not allow backstroke, breaststroke, or butterfly on that leg of either event. Backstroke is defined in USMS 101.4.2 as "shall push off on the back" and is therefore not allowed during the freestyle leg of the IM and medley relay because that is a clear definition of backstroke. This applies to the ***-to-free turn and the subsequent freestyle turns on that leg of the IM/medley relay. In an actual freestyle event, one can leave the wall on the back after the turn and rotate to the front, because freestyle by itself is defined as "swim in any style". However, in USMS 101.5.2 (freestyle stroke rule), after the statement "swim in any style", it also states "except that in a medley relay or individual medley event, freestyle means any style other than butterfly, breaststroke, or backstroke." The FINA/USA-S/USMS interpretations require that official(s) see the style of backstroke, breaststroke, or butterfly for a sufficient distance to call a DQ (FINA interpretation June 1, 1997, “When a swimmer has traveled a sufficient distance that the official can with certainty judge that the competitor is swimming in the style of butterfly, breaststroke or backstroke, then a disqualification is appropriate.”). The latest FINA interpretation (August 23, 2015) specifically states that leaving the wall on the back during the freestyle leg of the IM/medley relay is a DQ, “According to (FINA) SW 9.1 each of the strokes must cover one quarter (1/4) of the distance. Being on the back when leaving the wall for the freestyle portion of the medley is covering more than one quarter of the distance in the style of backstroke and is, therefore, a disqualification. Backstroke swimming is only defined as being on the back.” Kathy Casey, Chair USMS Rules Committee

Is this person on her back? Yes,and that is the problem with this rule.It is standard for free to free turn to come off the wall on one's back.

The push off on the back is no longer OK for freestyle in the IM and medley relay. Note that this interpretation applies to only the freestyle leg of the IM (any distance) and the medley relay (any distance), and the rules do not allow backstroke, breaststroke, or butterfly on that leg of either event. Backstroke is defined in USMS 101.4.2 as "shall push off on the back" and is therefore not allowed during the freestyle leg of the IM and medley relay because that is a clear definition of backstroke. This applies to the ***-to-free turn and the subsequent freestyle turns on that leg of the IM/medley relay. In an actual freestyle event, one can leave the wall on the back after the turn and rotate to the front, because freestyle by itself is defined as "swim in any style". However, in USMS 101.5.2 (freestyle stroke rule), after the statement "swim in any style", it also states "except that in a medley relay or individual medley event, freestyle means any style other than butterfly, breaststroke, or backstroke." The FINA/USA-S/USMS interpretations require that official(s) see the style of backstroke, breaststroke, or butterfly for a sufficient distance to call a DQ (FINA interpretation June 1, 1997, “When a swimmer has traveled a sufficient distance that the official can with certainty judge that the competitor is swimming in the style of butterfly, breaststroke or backstroke, then a disqualification is appropriate.”). The latest FINA interpretation (August 23, 2015) specifically states that leaving the wall on the back during the freestyle leg of the IM/medley relay is a DQ, “According to (FINA) SW 9.1 each of the strokes must cover one quarter (1/4) of the distance. Being on the back when leaving the wall for the freestyle portion of the medley is covering more than one quarter of the distance in the style of backstroke and is, therefore, a disqualification. Backstroke swimming is only defined as being on the back.” Kathy Casey, Chair USMS Rules Committee So many of us will have to change the way we turn free to free in the IM

frank, you need to read rule 101.4.3 Durning the turn the shoulders may be turned past the vertical towards the ***, after which an immediate continuous single arm pull or an immediate continuous double arm pull maybe used to initiate the turn. VERY LEGAL on any backstroke turn of the 400 IM (both) and 200 IM scy. so here we have that it is perfectly legal to be on your *** for backstroke and even taking an arm pull, but you can NOT be on your back at any point during the freestyle of an IM. You are correct at the turning end for the stroke. In 400 IM its at the at the 125, 150, and 175 turn and the 200 IM its the 75 turn in scy and in LCM its at the 150 turn in the 400 and 150 turn in the 200. I was thinking the transition from back to *** at the 200 turn for the 400 IM and 100 turn for the 200 IM. So I need you to read rule 101.6.3 which states the swimmer must touch the wall while on his back. Once he flips or does an open turn the prescribed breaststroke form must be attained prior to the first arm stroke Since we are discussing transitions here, FINA could make the argument that when you push off on your back to do the free its not the correct transition at the wall because you can do 15 meters on your back and you should be on your front to start the crawl/free. IM has to be different for all 4 strokes and their argument is that you are essentially doing back for 15 meters because you are on your back kicking away. I am not saying its right or agreeing or disagreeing, but I think that is where this rule change rational is. Now like I said before, Ryan Lochte could do this in a freestyle event and it would be very legal because their is no transition or changing of strokes.

So many of us will have to change the way we turn free to free in the IM And this is why this is the dumbest rule change of all time. Why in the world should we be required to alter our freestyle flip turn technique for an IM? It makes no sense at all. It solves a problem that was not a problem to begin with. As we've already stated, if pushing off on your back = backstroke, then pushing off on your front and doing more than one dolphin kick = butterfly.

So many of us will have to change the way we turn free to free in the IMGiven the image Rob posted, and Kathy's post, the only legal turn for the freestyle leg of IM would be an open turn. Is there any way to execute a flip turn without being on one's back prior to touching the wall?

Backstroke swimming is only defined as being on the back.I've seen this a couple times now and I'm curious where this comes from. Seems like a Wikipedia definition more than anything. I scanned the fina rules and couldn't find anything similar. Doesn't FINA define backstroke in SW6? If so, it seems like this statement is an oversimplification.