Does anyone know the rationale behind USMS rule 103.13.1(B)(1)? Specifically, this says that in order for an initial distance split to count as an "official time" (and thus, eligible for records, top-ten, etc.), the swimmer must notify the meet referee in writing before the end of the meet.
Does anyone know why we insist on this level of administrivia? This means that, technically, even as a meet director... if I notice that someone's 1000 split on their 1650 would be a new record... it's not a new record unless I remind the swimmer him/herself to write down on a piece of paper "Please make my split time count", and hand it to the referee. Before they leave the pool at the end of the meet.
In USA Swimming, the paperwork isn't necessary. Your 1000 split counts, without any paperwork, as long as it's valid, you finished the event, etc., etc. But you don't need silly paperwork.
So why do we insist on this paperwork in USMS? This seems like something that is doing us all a massive disservice as I'm sure many many potential records and top ten performances are being missed. If you swim a 1650, and your initial 1000 was a certain time... then your initial 1000 was that time, regardless of any paperwork you submit by the end of the meet.
(This is separate from setting up an expectation that these splits will be automatically submitted. That's a separate issue. My only issue is that if the swimmer does not write something down on a post-it note, that the window of opportunity closes, and there is no way to un-close the window the way the rulebook is written.)
I suppose the solution is to amend the disclaimer/waiver language for our meet entries to include a sentence "I HEREBY REQUEST TO THE REFEREE THAT EVERY INITIAL DISTANCE OF EVERY EVENT THAT I SWIM BE CONSIDERED AS AN OFFICIAL TIME.", and then that part of the rule is satisfied. If the USMS Rules Committee insists, I can photocopy all of our entry forms, and hand them to the Referee before the end of the meet.
-Rick
Two things. First, a lot of this conversation only further establishes that the requirement to notify the referee in writing before the end of the meet is not necessary. It turns out that people are trying to find ways around this rule anyways. As such, it should be removed.
Second, some of these comments are not directly related to the issue at hand. I'm not getting into the requirements for national or world records, etc. Some of those requirements are covered by other rules, or other policies. All I'm interested in is the requirement that you request the referee in writing before the end of the meet.
For example... even if you do make a written request to the referee before the end of the meet, all of the timing backup issues are still an issue. You still have to take into account primary/secondary/tertiary timing requirements for different levels of records/top-ten/etc. Those issues don't go away. But they don't need to be re-added to the scenario, because they're already part of the rules.
To even be more nit-picky on this rule... the rule only says that the swimmer must notify the referee in writing before the end of the meet. That can be well after the swim has happened. So there's nothing that the referee can do with this notification, except file it away in a file full of other administrivia. For example, in our New England LMSC Championship meet, which takes place over two week-ends, it's possible that you could hand the referee your written request a full 8 days after your swim took place, and still be before the end of the meet. Now that the referee is holding that piece of paper 8 days later... how does that change anything about the swim that took place 8 days earlier?
-Rick
Two things. First, a lot of this conversation only further establishes that the requirement to notify the referee in writing before the end of the meet is not necessary. It turns out that people are trying to find ways around this rule anyways. As such, it should be removed.
Second, some of these comments are not directly related to the issue at hand. I'm not getting into the requirements for national or world records, etc. Some of those requirements are covered by other rules, or other policies. All I'm interested in is the requirement that you request the referee in writing before the end of the meet.
For example... even if you do make a written request to the referee before the end of the meet, all of the timing backup issues are still an issue. You still have to take into account primary/secondary/tertiary timing requirements for different levels of records/top-ten/etc. Those issues don't go away. But they don't need to be re-added to the scenario, because they're already part of the rules.
To even be more nit-picky on this rule... the rule only says that the swimmer must notify the referee in writing before the end of the meet. That can be well after the swim has happened. So there's nothing that the referee can do with this notification, except file it away in a file full of other administrivia. For example, in our New England LMSC Championship meet, which takes place over two week-ends, it's possible that you could hand the referee your written request a full 8 days after your swim took place, and still be before the end of the meet. Now that the referee is holding that piece of paper 8 days later... how does that change anything about the swim that took place 8 days earlier?
-Rick
