Date: September 20, 2017

Re: USA Swimming Rule 101.6 – 101.7 – Medley Swimming

1.  During the July 21^st FINA Swimming Technical Congress in Budapest, Hungary, the Congress adopted a change to medley swimming rules regarding required body position.  For the freestyle distance, the change permits the swimmer to be past vertical towards the back when executing a turn - including after the feet have left the wall.  The rule requires that the swimmer’s body must return to the breast before any kick or stroke.

2.  Effective September 21, USA Swimming will modify USA Swimming rules as follows:

101.6       INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY — The swimmer shall swim the prescribed distance in the follow­ing order: the first one-fourth, butterfly; the second one-fourth, backstroke; the third one-fourth, breaststroke; and the last one-fourth, freestyle.

.1      Start — The forward start shall be used.

.2      Stroke — The stroke for each one-fourth of the designated distance shall follow the pre­scribed rules for that stroke, except in the freestyle, the swimmer must be on the breast except when executing a turn.

.3      Turns

A     Intermediate turns within each stroke shall conform to the turn rules for that stroke, except that in the freestyle turn, the swimmer must return to the breast before any kick or stroke.

B     The turns when changing from one stroke to another shall conform to the finish rules for the stroke just completed, and shall be as follows:

(1)     Butterfly to Backstroke — The swimmer must touch as described in 101.3.5. Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner, but the shoulders must be at or past the vertical toward the back when the swimmer leaves the wall.

(2)      Backstroke to Breaststroke — The swimmer must touch the wall while on the back. Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner but the shoulders must be at or past the vertical toward the breast when the swimmer leaves the wall and the prescribed breaststroke form must be attained prior to the first arm stroke.

(3)      Breaststroke to Freestyle — The swimmer must touch as described in 101.2.4. Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner and must return to the breast before any kick or stroke.

.4      Finish — The swimmer shall have finished the race when any part of his/her person touches the wall after the prescribed distance

101.7       RELAYS

.1      Freestyle Relay — Four swimmers on each team, each to swim one-fourth of the pre­scribed distance using any desired stroke(s). Freestyle finish rules apply.

.2      Medley Relay — Four swimmers on each team, each to swim one-fourth of the prescribed distance in the following order: first, backstroke; second, breaststroke; third, butterfly; and fourth, freestyle. Rules pertaining to each stroke used as described in 101.6 (Individual Medley) shall govern where applicable. At the end of each leg, the finish rule for each stroke applies in each case.

.3-.4     [no changes]

Jay Thomas

Chair, USA Swimming Rules & Regulations Committee