Aufgrund einer Veröffentlichung von World Para Swimming wurden die Wettkampfbestimmungen Schwimmen (Stand 06/2023) im § 127 Abs. 2 WB (Rückenschwimmen) angepasst werden. Die Regelung ist analog zu den WPS Rules rückwirkend gültig ab 01.06.2023. Das geänderte Regelwerk wurde heute von mir unter "Regelwerke/Ordnungen | Wettkampfbestimmungen" nach Absprache mit dem Abteilungsvorsitzenden veröffentlicht.
Seitens WPS gab es hierzu folgende Begründung:
Some part of the Athlete must break the surface of the water throughout the race, except that once some part of the head of the swimmer has passed the 5 metres mark immediately prior to reaching for the finish, the swimmer may be completely submerged. It is also permissible for the Athlete to be completely submerged during the turn and for a distance of not more than 15 metres after the start and each turn. By that point the Athlete’s head must have broken the surface.
'being submerged at the finish’ We were aware that the rules regarding being submerged at the finish were planned to be reviewed, however at the FINA congress no formal wording was approved. We followed our rules process and deleted from the WPS Rules and Regulations 'it is not permissible to be submerged at the finish' as we planned to follow the FINA/World Aquatics rule when it was released. Sadly the World Aquatics rule change regarding this was a late addition and the wording only came out after the WPS Rules and Regulations had been approved by the IPC Governing Board. WPS still intends to follow the FINA/World Aquatics rule regarding the finish of backstroke, therefore please officiate for the stroke using 11.3.3 as above (this incorporates the WA ruling).