How Cheaters Cheat in practice and meets might stir up a lively discussion.
Here's the RULES
Swimming Rules
How do cheaters cheat?
Got any stories?
Did they get caught or get away with it?
If you see someone cheating or know they are
do you point it out to the ref or keep quiet?
Last meet I was at, I watched a friend swim the 100 IM. At the end of his breaststroke leg, he was 2 feet from the wall, already fully extended, and running out of momentum. His options:
1. Try to take another full stroke cycle (might not have enough room)
2. Try to glide into the wall (might not make it, or might lose lots of time)
3. Take a half-stroke cycle (possible DQ depending on how it's done)
4. Take a dolphin kick (very very against the rules)
From my vantage point, he appeared to choose #4. He wasn't DQ'd. I asked him about it afterward, and sure enough, he did indeed take a dolphin kick to get to the wall. It wasn't planned, he didn't set any records, and he won't be in the top ten for the 100 IM. We laughed about it, but dolphin kicking in breaststroke is one way that cheaters cheat.
During the 50 Free in my last meet I rolled and jumped the gun on the start. I finished the event and just assumed I was deeked; I figured the overworked starter didn't have time to tell me. I was shocked a couple days later when I saw my name in on-line results in 1st place for the event and not DQ'd. I didn't mean to do it! I hope people realized I would have pushed off the block instead of falling like a tree if I were doing it to gain advantage. Anyway this thread makes me feel a little guilty!
3. Take a half-stroke cycle (possible DQ depending on how it's done)
Unless it means taking two pulls in a row or two kicks in a row it shouldn't be a DQ. You don't need to take a full stroke cycle at the turns and finish in breaststroke. A pull without a kick is OK.
101.2.4 Turns and Finish—At each turn and at the finish of the race, the touch
shall be made with both hands simultaneously at, above or below the water
level. The head may be submerged after the last arm pull prior to the touch,
provided it breaks the surface of the water at some point during the last
complete or incomplete cycle preceding the touch.
At a meet in Ohio, there were periods of time where there were no officials on the opposite side of the pool. I watched many swimmers do a one handed turn from *** to free on the 100 IM.
At a dual meet that my team was going to easily win, my coach placed me in the 50 free. I never swam the 50 because I was a lousy a sprinter.
Here was a chance at a PR. I planned on trying to time the gun to see if I could break 23 seconds. My timing was a bit early and I remember hearing the gun while in motion. The starter didn't call it, and I squeaked in at a 22.9.
Was that cheating?Yes, but the statute of limitations has run out. You're good.
I was dq'ed in a 200 backstroke once. The official told me after the race. When the results were posted, I wasn't listed as being dq'ed. I immediately found the official to ask him. He said that he had submitted the paperwork for the infraction.
I informed him that the results showed someone else was dq'ed. He immediately when to the officials table to check. Sure enough, he had wrote down the wrong lane. He thanked me for the honesty.
An official writes down the wrong lane? How can he be sure that he DQ'd the right person? Seems to me that there is sufficient doubt that neither you nor the other guy should have been DQ'd.
How cheaters cheat,one way in BR is dolphin as soon as you hit the water,dolphin as you separate your hands before the real pulldown,then exaggerate your "natural undulation" for a third dolphin.Most Masters judges will DQ you,but Olympic judges evidently won't.
I have deliberately cheated exactly once in my life.My freshman year in college we were at a duel meet.The coach of the other team was the starter(yea,that was fair.)He had some swimmers that were very close to making Nats cuts and he simply wasn't calling false starts.This was when you didn't get DQd on the first false start so I had nothing to lose by jumping early.For the 200 BR as soon as he said "take your marks" I jumped.I heard the gun as I entered the water.As I took the first turn and saw no false start rope I started laughing so much I had a lousy time anyway,but I still think it was funny.
I was dq'ed in a 200 backstroke once. The official told me after the race. When the results were posted, I wasn't listed as being dq'ed. I immediately found the official to ask him. He said that he had submitted the paperwork for the infraction.
I informed him that the results showed someone else was dq'ed. He immediately when to the officials table to check. Sure enough, he had wrote down the wrong lane. He thanked me for the honesty.
