Swimming Rules & Disqualifications

Coaches are often asked about disqualifications—why they happen, how they’re determined, and how swimmers can avoid them. Below is a clear guide to common disqualifications, organized by stroke and situation. These explanations are designed to help both swimmers and families better understand the rules and support continued learning and growth.

Butterfly

Kick Infractions

  • Alternating Kick: The legs must move together in a dolphin-style motion. Flutter kicks or any independent leg movement is not allowed.

  • Breaststroke Kick: The legs moved in a breaststroke-style kick. This is not permitted in butterfly.

  • Scissors Kick: One leg moved forward while the other moved back, similar to a sidestroke kick. This breaks the required dolphin motion.

Arm Infractions

  • Non-Simultaneous Stroke: The arms must move together during both the pull and recovery. If they are out of sync, it is a disqualification.

  • Underwater Recovery: The arms must recover above the surface. If they stay underwater during recovery, it is considered illegal.

Touch Infractions

  • One-Hand Touch: Both hands must touch the wall at the same time on each turn and at the finish.

  • Touch Not Separated: Hands must be visibly separated during the touch. Touching with stacked or joined hands is not legal.

  • Non-Simultaneous Touch: Both hands must touch at the exact same time. Even a slight delay between hands can result in disqualification.

  • No Touch at Turn: The swimmer failed to make any contact with the wall during a turn.

Other Infractions

  • Not Toward Breast Off Wall: The swimmer pushed off the wall while turned too far toward the back or side.

  • 15-Meter Rule: The swimmer stayed completely underwater for more than 15 meters off the start or turn.

  • Re-Submerged: After surfacing, the swimmer fully submerged again during the swim, which is not allowed.

Backstroke

Turn Infractions

  • No Touch at Turn: The swimmer failed to make contact with the wall during the turn.

  • Delay Initiating Turn: After rotating onto the stomach, the swimmer did not begin the turning motion right away.

  • Multiple Strokes at Turn: Only one arm pull is allowed after turning onto the stomach. Multiple strokes result in disqualification.

Start & Wall Infractions

  • Toes Over Gutter: At the start, swimmers must place feet on the wall or touchpad. Toes cannot extend over the gutter or pad.

  • 15-Meter Rule: The swimmer did not break the surface of the water by 15 meters after the start or turn.

  • Re-Submerged: The swimmer surfaced, then went fully underwater again during the race.

  • Not on Back Off Wall: The swimmer pushed off the wall while turned too far toward the front or side instead of remaining on their back.

  • Shoulders Past Vertical at Finish: At the finish, the swimmer must touch the wall while still on their back. Rolling past vertical before touching results in disqualification.

Breaststroke

Kick Infractions

  • Alternating Kick: The legs kicked independently, either with a flutter or unsynchronized breaststroke motion.

  • Butterfly Kick: A dolphin-style kick was used during the stroke cycle, outside of the legal pullout.

  • Scissors Kick: The legs moved in opposite directions sideways, similar to a sidestroke kick.

Arm & Stroke Infractions

  • Arms Past Hipline: During the pull, arms must not extend below the hips.

  • Non-Simultaneous Stroke: Both arms must move together. Any out-of-sync motion is not allowed.

  • Two Strokes Underwater: Only one stroke is allowed underwater after the start or turn.

  • Arms Not in Same Plane: One arm moved at a different depth than the other during the pull.

  • Elbows Over Water: During recovery, elbows must stay underwater. Breaking the surface is illegal.

Touch Infractions

  • One-Hand Touch: Both hands must touch the wall simultaneously on each turn and at the finish.

  • Touch Not Separated: The hands must be clearly apart when touching the wall.

  • No Touch at Turn: The swimmer failed to make contact with the wall before turning.

Other Stroke Cycle Infractions

  • Not Toward Breast Off Wall: The swimmer did not leave the wall facing the breast.

  • Kick Before Pull: The swimmer kicked before completing the arm pull, which breaks stroke order.

  • Head Not Up in Cycle: The head must break the surface at least once during each complete stroke cycle.

  • Double Pulls or Kicks: Only one pull and one kick are allowed per stroke cycle.

Underwater Pullout Infractions

  • Multiple Dolphin Kicks: Only one dolphin kick is allowed during the pullout after the start or turn.

  • Multiple Pulls: Only one pull is allowed during the underwater pullout.

Note: The 15-meter rule does not apply to breaststroke. A swimmer may remain underwater beyond 15 meters as long as they perform only one pullout and complete at least one legal stroke cycle before reaching the wall.

Freestyle

  • No Touch at Turn: The swimmer must touch the wall at each turn. Missing the wall results in disqualification.

  • 15-Meter Rule: The swimmer remained underwater beyond the 15-meter mark after the start or a turn.

  • Re-Submerged: The swimmer surfaced and then fully submerged again during the swim.

Individual Medley (IM)

  • Out of Sequence: The IM order is butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle. Swimming strokes in the wrong order results in disqualification.

  • Fourth Distance Swum in Style of Previous Stroke: The last leg must be distinct from the other strokes. Using butterfly, backstroke, or breaststroke again in the freestyle leg is not allowed.

Relays

  • Early Takeoff Swimmer: A swimmer left the block/wall before the previous swimmer touched the wall.

  • Changed Order: The swimmers did not swim in the order listed on the entry form, or in a medley relay, swam the incorrect stroke order (backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, freestyle).

Miscellaneous Infractions

  • False Start: The swimmer moved or left the block before the official starting signal.

  • Declared False Start: A swimmer notified the referee they would not swim the race before the start.

  • Delay of Meet: The swimmer did not report to the block on time or ignored official instructions.

  • Did Not Finish (DNF): The swimmer did not complete the full distance of the race.