World Para Swimming Rules And Regulations

World Para SwimmingRules andRegulationsJanuary 2018

Official Approved Supplier of World Para Swimming Equipmentwww.WorldParaSwimming.org@Para ng

ContentsPART A – GENERAL . 61Definitions . 62General Provisions . 102.1Scope and application . 102.2Interpretation . 102.3Governance . 102.4Printing of the Rules . 112.5Amendments to the Rules. 11PART B – WORLD PARA SWIMMING REGULATIONS . 1234World Para Swimming Recognised Competitions . 123.1Competition levels . 123.2Competition cycle. 123.3Competition requirements . 133.4Competition management . 133.5Competition entries . 133.6Recognition of results . 133.7Advertising and displays during Competitions . 143.8Anti-gambling requirements . 14Eligibility & Classification . 144.1Eligibility requirements – IPC Games . 144.2 Eligibility requirements – IPC Competitions and World Para Swimming SanctionedCompetitions . 1454.3Eligibility requirements – World Para Swimming Approved Competitions . 154.4Qualification requirements . 154.5Gender . 154.6Classification . 16Anti-Doping . 165.16Anti-Doping requirements . 16Medical . 166.1Medical requirements. 16World Para Swimming Technical Rules & Regulations 2018 2018 International Paralympic Committee – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED3

6.2Medical responsibilities . 176.3Medical withdrawal request . 176.4Medical insurance . 186.5 Medical and safety services at IPC Games, IPC Competitions and World Para SwimmingSanctioned Competitions . 186.6Medical services . 196.7Harassment. 196.8Autonomic dysreflexia . 196.9Hypoxic or hyperoxic chambers or tents . 196.10Heat. 196.11Smoking Ban. 197Technology and Equipment . 207.18Fundamental principles . 20Disciplinary rules . 208.19The IPC Code of Ethics and the World Para Swimming Code of Conduct . 20Protests & Appeals . 209.1Field of play . 209.2Anti-doping . 209.3Classification . 2010General Competition Rules . 2110.1Competition Management . 2110.2Officials. 2110.3Competition Format . 2510.4Events and Programme of Events . 2610.5Minimum Qualifying Standards (MQS) . 2710.6Withdrawals . 2810.7Support Staff. 2810.8Call Rooms . 2810.9Seeding of Heats and Finals . 2810.10Timing and Automatic Officiating Procedures . 3110.11Disqualification . 3210.12Technical Protests . 33World Para Swimming Technical Rules & Regulations 2018 2018 International Paralympic Committee – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED4

10.13Change of Sport Class in Competition . 3410.14Protocol . 3610.15Swimwear . 3610.16Rankings . 3710.17World and Regional Records. 3811SWIMMING RULES . 4111.1The Start . 4111.2Freestyle . 4311.3Backstroke. 4311.4Breaststroke . 4411.5Butterfly. 4611.6Medley Swimming . 4811.7Relays . 4811.8The Race . 50APPENDIX ONE: OPEN WATER . 53OPEN WATER . 531.1General . 531.2Officials . 541.3The Start . 591.4The Venue . 601.5The Race . 601.6Emergency Abandonment . 621.7The Finish of the Event . 62APPENDIX TWO: FACILITES . 64FACILITIES . 641.1General . 641.2Minimum Standard Swimming Pools . 651.3 Paralympic Standard Swimming Pools (for both permanent and temporary swimmingpools) 691.4Automatic Officiating Equipment (AOE) . 70World Para Swimming Technical Rules & Regulations 2018 2018 International Paralympic Committee – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED5

PART A – GENERAL1DefinitionsClassification: grouping athletes into Sport Classes (as defined in the IPC Athlete ClassificationCode) according to how much their impairment affects fundamental activities in each specificsport or discipline. This is also referred to as “Athlete Classification”.Classification Panel: A group of Classifiers, appointed by World Para Swimming, to determineSport Class and Sport Class Status in accordance with these Classification Rules.Codes of Exception: The Codes of Exceptions are assigned to the athlete by the classifiers andare only to guide the technical Officials. The technical officials shall officiate by the sporttechnical Rules and Regulations and not by the Codes of Exceptions.Competition: a series of individual events conducted together under one ruling body.Competition Medical Director: the person appointed by the LOC for an IPC Competition and/ora World Para Swimming Sanctioned Competition who is responsible to implement the WorldPara Swimming ‘Scope of Event Medical Services’.Competition Rules: the World Para Swimming Competition Rules set out in Part C of theseRules.FINA: the Federation International de Natation.FINA Rules: the Federation International de Natation Competition Rules.First Appearance: The first time an Athlete competes in an Event the distance of which mustbe at least 100m during a Competition in a particular Sport Class, except for Sport Classes SB13 where the distance may be 50m.International Federation: a sport federation recognised by the IPC as the sole world-widerepresentative of a sport for athletes with an impairment that has been granted the status as aPara sport by the IPC. The IPC and IOSD act as an International Federation for certain Parasports.Impairment: A Physical, Vision or Intellectual Impairment.IOC: the International Olympic Committee.IPC: the International Paralympic Committee.IPC Competitions: World Para Swimming Championships and World Para Swimming RegionalChampionships.IPC Games: the Paralympic Games and the Parapan American Games.World Para Swimming Technical Rules & Regulations 2018 2018 International Paralympic Committee – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED6

IOSD: International Organisation of Sport for the Disabled, an independent organisationrecognised by the IPC as the sole worldwide representative for a specific impairment group tothe IPC.LOC: Local Organising Committee – an organisation appointed by World Para Swimming toorganise an IPC Competition or World Para Swimming Sanctioned Competition.LOC Chief Medical Doctor: the medical doctor appointed by the LOC for an IPC Competitionand/or World Para Swimming Sanctioned Competition.Long Course: a competition that is run in a fifty (50) meter swimming poolMinimum Qualifying Standards (MQS): a list of race times, per event and Sport Class, anathlete must achieve to enter the competition. MQS times shall be defined in the TechnicalDocumentation for a specific competition.National Federation: the national member of an International Federation.NPC: National Paralympic Committee, the national member of the IPC who is the solerepresentative of athletes with an impairment in that country or territory. These are the nationalmembers of the IPC.Observation in Competition Assessment: The observation of an Athlete with a PhysicalImpairment or Intellectual Impairment in a Competition by a Classification Panel so that theClassification Panel can complete its determination as to the extent to which an EligibleImpairment affects that Athlete’s ability to execute the specific tasks and activities fundamentalto the sport.Official: World Para Swimming certified and accreditation officials. For a full list of Officials’roles refer to Rule 10.2.Para sport: a sport governed by the IPC Athlete Classification Code and recognised as a Parasport by the IPC.Programme of Events: the programme of events is a list of events/days in the order they aregoing to be swum.Publication of the Official Results: a designated area identified by the LOC and World ParaSwimming appointed officials to post the official results. The place is to be communicated atthe Technical Meeting or in the Competition Documentation.Referee: the person appointed to adjudicate World Para Swimming Recognised Competitions.Regulations: the World Para Swimming Regulations set out in Part B of these Rules.World Para Swimming Technical Rules & Regulations 2018 2018 International Paralympic Committee – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED7

Rules: the World Para Swimming Rules and Regulations comprised of the General Provisions,the World Para Swimming Regulations and the World Para Swimming Competition Rules.Short Course: a competition that is run in a twenty-five (25) meter swimming poolSport Class: a category for Competition defined by World Para Swimming by reference to theextent to which an athlete can perform the specific tasks and activities required by a Para sport.Sport Class Status: a designation applied to a Sport Class to indicate the extent to which anathlete may be required to undertake athlete evaluation and/or be subject to a classificationprotest.Support Staff: Support Staff includes any person designated by an NPC to assist an athletewith logistics or directional instructions.Swimming Competition composition:Event: e.g. Men’s 100m Freestyle S5Session: heats or finals containing series of eventsCompetition, Championships: series of days containing heats and finalsTapper: Support Staff that assists an athlete with a Vision Impairment when they approach theend of the pool.Tapping Device: a device used by a Tapper(s) to assists an athlete with a Vision Impairmentwhen they approach the end of the pool.Team Leader: an accredited team official who represents their delegation.Technical Documentation: A document that outlines all the entry criteria and competitionregulations that are not identified in the World Para Swimming Technical Rules and Regulations(e.g. MQS, list of events, etc.).Technical Meeting: a meeting for all teams which takes place before IPC Games, IPCCompetitions and WPS Sanctioned competitions to disseminate Competition logistics andCompetition specific Rules and RegulationsVictory Ceremony: a protocol ceremony for each event where medals are awarded to thewinners of the raceVision Impairment: An Impairment of the eye structure, optical nerves or optical pathways, orvisual cortex of the central brain that adversely affects an Athlete’s vision.WADC: the World Anti-Doping Code.WPS: World Para Swimming.World Para Swimming Technical Rules & Regulations 2018 2018 International Paralympic Committee – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED8

World Para Swimming Approved Competitions: international, national and NationalFederation endorsed competitions for the sport of Para swimming that have been approved byWorld Para Swimming.World Para Swimming Athlete License: a license issued by the IPC in accordance with the IPCAthlete Licensing Programme to enable athletes to compete in IPC Games, IPC Competitionsand World Para Swimming Sanctioned Competitions.World Para Swimming Recognised Competitions: IPC Games, IPC Competitions, World ParaSwimming Sanctioned Competitions and World Para Swimming Approved Competitions.World Para Swimming Sanctioned Competitions: World Para Swimming World Series, WorldPara Swimming World Cups and other World Para Swimming international competitionsdetermined by World Para Swimming.World Para Swimming Technical Delegate: a person appointed by World Para Swimming tomonitor and oversee a World Para Swimming Recognised Competition and to ensure alltechnical operations are conducted in accordance with these Rules.World Para Swimming Technical Rules & Regulations 2018 2018 International Paralympic Committee – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED9

2General Provisions2.1Scope and application2.1.1These World Para Swimming Rules and Regulations comprise the World ParaSwimming Regulations (Regulations) and the World Para Swimming CompetitionRules (Competition Rules) (together referred to as ‘these Rules’).2.1.2These Rules are mandatory for all World Para Swimming RecognisedCompetitions.2.1.3All participants (including, but not limited to, athletes and support personnel,coaches, trainers, managers, interpreters, team staff, officials, medical orparamedical personnel) of any World Para Swimming Recognised Competitionsagree to be bound by thes

World Para Swimming Technical Rules & Regulations 2018 2018 International Paralympic Committee – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 10 2 General Provisions 2.1 Scope and application 2.1.1 These World Para SwimmingRules and Regulations comprise the World Para Swimming Regulations (Regulations) and the World Para Competition Swimming