I am interested if anyone could shed some light on citizenship/resident requirements in relation to National/USMS relay records. Is it possible for a record setting relay with one or more members of that relay, not being a US citizen(s) or even a resident(s), to be recognized as such?
Aquageek:
No there is not a nationality requirement for memebership in USMS and I believe there will never be one because it would be in violation of the Equal Opportunity Clause. Rule 501.3. is written as follows: "Membership in USMS shall not be denied by virtue of race, creed, gender, religion, political affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, or national origin." This appears on page 88 in the 2005 USMS Rule Book. Many years ago at the USAS convention there was considerable debate on the floor as to what should be written in this rule and what exclusions if any should appear. After long debates this is what appears from those discussions.
Mark Gill is correct in that only a member of USMS can hold a National Record. The key here is to be a member of the organization. It does not require residency requirement. I believe all of the member FINA countries work like this for Masters only. In the early 1990's I remember seeing Rowdy Gaines having World Records from the country of Japan. I know he wasn't resident there but he must have registered for the Japan organization and swam as a Japan registered swimmer to have the records count for Japan. Registration is necessary for a WR and it does not have to be from the country you are a citizen of.
Now I know you can't have dual registrations from two different countries. I know people in the past that have done this, for example having a USMS membership and having Canadian membership and they have been notified by the governing bodies to choose only one. Foreign swimmers are welcome at our USMS National Meets but cannot set USMS records or be eligible for USMS Top Ten.
A foreign swimmer is defined as an athlete member of a FINA member federation, other than USMS. In rule 201.4.3 it states "Any foreign swimmers requesting an invitation to participate in USMS events may have such an invitation extended only by the USMS president or the president's designee." I don't know if this is done a lot, but usually the most foreign swimmers I see at USMS events are either from Canada and Mexico.
Right now USMS keeps no US Open Masters records. I think it pretty much follows what USA swimming does except they have the residency requirement. So if Roland Schoeman wants to buy a USMS card in Arizona and show up at any USMS meet and start breaking USMS records, its perfectly legal under USMS rules.
Aquageek:
No there is not a nationality requirement for memebership in USMS and I believe there will never be one because it would be in violation of the Equal Opportunity Clause. Rule 501.3. is written as follows: "Membership in USMS shall not be denied by virtue of race, creed, gender, religion, political affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, or national origin." This appears on page 88 in the 2005 USMS Rule Book. Many years ago at the USAS convention there was considerable debate on the floor as to what should be written in this rule and what exclusions if any should appear. After long debates this is what appears from those discussions.
Mark Gill is correct in that only a member of USMS can hold a National Record. The key here is to be a member of the organization. It does not require residency requirement. I believe all of the member FINA countries work like this for Masters only. In the early 1990's I remember seeing Rowdy Gaines having World Records from the country of Japan. I know he wasn't resident there but he must have registered for the Japan organization and swam as a Japan registered swimmer to have the records count for Japan. Registration is necessary for a WR and it does not have to be from the country you are a citizen of.
Now I know you can't have dual registrations from two different countries. I know people in the past that have done this, for example having a USMS membership and having Canadian membership and they have been notified by the governing bodies to choose only one. Foreign swimmers are welcome at our USMS National Meets but cannot set USMS records or be eligible for USMS Top Ten.
A foreign swimmer is defined as an athlete member of a FINA member federation, other than USMS. In rule 201.4.3 it states "Any foreign swimmers requesting an invitation to participate in USMS events may have such an invitation extended only by the USMS president or the president's designee." I don't know if this is done a lot, but usually the most foreign swimmers I see at USMS events are either from Canada and Mexico.
Right now USMS keeps no US Open Masters records. I think it pretty much follows what USA swimming does except they have the residency requirement. So if Roland Schoeman wants to buy a USMS card in Arizona and show up at any USMS meet and start breaking USMS records, its perfectly legal under USMS rules.
