If you’ve been watching the third season of the International Swimming League and have paid attention to the amazing underwater dolphin kicking skills of the top athletes, you’ve probably noticed how close some of them come to kicking beyond 15-meters in backstroke, butterfly, and freestyle.
Remember–there is no 15-meter violation in breaststroke.
There have been surprisingly few disqualifications thus far in the third season of the ISL, but on day 2 of Match 6, Coleman Stewart of the Cali Condors was disqualified for kicking beyond 15 meters underwater on the final 25 of the 100 backstroke. This was a big blow to the Condors points-wise, though it was not the first 15-meter violation of the week.
In Match 5, Tom Shields of the LA Current kicked beyond 15 meters on the first length of the race yet was not disqualified for it. While Stewart consistently kicks to 15 meters off of almost every wall, and so far has been given the benefit of the doubt, Shields was the most-clearly missed violation that we’ve seen this season.
Shields said on Monday morning on Instagram (after this article was originally posted) that he “knew he was pushing the 15 (meter line) on skins” because he knew he was in 8th place at the time. “They’ve been relatively chill,” Shields said in the post, indicating that with little to lose, he thought he’d try to tiptoe as fine of a line as he could.
Shields can clearly be seen in lane 2 breaking the surface after his full head and shoulders have cleared the yellow 15-meter marker. The full video of the race is also posted below.
Why wasn’t Shields disqualified then?
For filming purposes, the ISL aims to keep the pool deck as clean as possible, meaning the officials are often not as close to the pool as normal. All ISL officials are certified, and because FINA now recognizes times swum in the ISL, it is important that normal rules are enforced. In this case, there is one official standing on the lane-1 side of the pool at the 15-meter marker nearer the blocks, though they are kept behind the camera track that runs beside lane 1. For comparison, FINA places multiple stroke judges on both sides of the pool utilizing “lead/lag” to coordinate coverage, as well as at both the start and turn ends.
In Match 2 of the 2021 ISL season, Stewart broke the World Record in the 100 meter backstroke with a 48.33. SwimSwam’s Coleman Hodges provides an in-depth analysis of Stewart’s World Record swim which shows fully-legal underwaters.
While the camera work performed by the ISL is commendable, giving the pool deck over to a film crew makes the officials’ jobs more difficult.
In the entire 2021 ISL season, only 4 disqualifications have been called.
ISL Disqualifications 2021
- Match 1 – 2
- Match 2 – 0
- Match 3 – 0
- Match 4 – 1
- Match 5 – 0
- Match 6 – 1
The ISL has disqualifed swimmers in the past for kicking beyond 15 meters, such as Shane Ryan at the 2019 American Derby where he represented the LA Current. There, Ryan took a DQ in the 50 backstroke. Even so, disqualifications are rare in the ISL.
Can you post Coleman’s DQ? When the ISL commentators showed the slow mo underwater of it, they both said they couldn’t see the DQ. Can you review the legitimacy of this DQ?
I’ve never gotten a clear answer on this: for a long course 50 fly, could you come up at 14 meters, take one stroke, dive down and kick the rest of the length underwater?
Nosir. Read the last sentence here:
SW 8.5 At the start and at turns, a swimmer is permitted one or more leg kicks and one arm pull
under the water, which must bring him to the surface. It shall be permissible for a swimmer to be
completely submerged for a distance of not more than 15 metres after the start and after each turn.
By that point, the head must have broken the surface. The swimmer must remain on the surface until
the next turn or finish.
There was that Japanese (I think) 200 flier, (I think) he was at a Peru jr Pan pacs and a few other meets.. he would take like 9/12/12/12 strokes for a 2 fly and got dq’d a few times for submerging between strokes. Had to learn keep his feet out to legally justify his stroke and keep his dps
From FINA rule book: SW 6.3 Some part of the swimmer must break the surface of the water throughout the race. It is permissible for the swimmer to be completely sub-merged during the turn, and for a distance of not more than 15 metres after the start and each turn. By that point the head must have broken the surface.
I have heard different things from different officials, some say that it is when the head breaks the surface (break through the water) and the 2nd one is that it is when the head breaks the horizonal line that the surface represents (so if you head breaks this line but is still pushing water over the face/forehead – it… Read more »
I looove that photo.
Cheater
He should get bonus points for doing it on the last 25. That’s gotta hurt.
Some of Coleman’s finishes have been suspect too- fully submerged. Easy to replay and see on video / poor judges. HVe to ask the question why do it if it’s suspect
Having watched some of the matches, with the cameras and glare from the lights, I’m not sure what kind of visibility the officials have at all. Fully submerged finishes are not always easy to call, much easier with side lead/lag.
FINA is hurting our sport with the ridiculous 15m rule! Why not make sure all swimmers are swimming at least by the flag closest to the turn and finish wall! OR allow swimmers to swim the entire race underwater except for the turns! Now that would be exciting!
Then it becomes boring
Congratulations, you’ve discovered finswimming
You are the most ridiculous troll on this site.
It would be easier to keep track if it was just 12.5 meters or 12.5 yards. Clear line at the halfway mark. At least half the race above water.
Different lengths for different courses is a bit of a pain… It is based on the big pool, all 3 courses share the same UW limit.
Seems like it should be less than 15 m for short course
Know that it would screw everything up at this point, but yeah
New rule: everyone go to town on dive breakouts—no distance limit, then pop up at the flags every other length
Or just have a 15 m pool 7 lengths. They are going to have to surface sometime probly at each 2nd lap at 13 M to get a breath. The 3-5 mtr sprint at the end should be scintillating.
This is the kind of Galaxy Brain take I like to see!!
Townley Haas jackpots every swimmer in every race.
We already went through that. Ever watch videos of NCAA medley relays from 90’s?