The latest trend in technical suits - layering the two to gain additional buoyancy - is out. The NCAA released an interpretation today that defines a swimming uniform as one swimsuit or garment.Effective beginning next Friday, any other "suit, garment or material material" will not be "permitted to be worn attached or supplemented under, over or as a part of the uniform."
The interpretation doesn't just include technical suites - it effectively eliminates the use of drag suits. To aid officials in the enforcement the NCAA provided three scenarios.
Scenario 1:
Coach A notices that Swimmer B, who is standing behind the blocks in preparation for his event, is wearing multiple technical suits.
Ruling: Illegal. Coach should bring this information to the attention of the official.
Scenario 2:
Swimmer A, in lane 3, gets up on the block and the Starter sees that Swimmer A has a brief under his technical swimsuit.
Ruling: Illegal. Delay of the meet may be charged to the student-athlete.
Scenario 3:
Swimmer A, who has already qualified with an A-Standard time for the 200 freestyle, gets up on the block to swim that event wearing a lycra bathing suit with an old, torn, nylon tank suit over it.
Ruling: Unless the swimmer removes the outer “drag” suit prior to the event, and swims with only one suit, their performance would be disqualified in that event.
With the effective date set to begin next week, the decision thus allows swimmers one more week with which to qualify for NCAA's using the technique.
LD:nkb
cc: NCAA Swimming and Diving Committees
Selected NCAA Staff Member
