NCAA Swimming & Diving Rules Committee Approves Using Underwater Cameras To Call DQs

The NCAA Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Rules Committee has approved expanding the real-time use of underwater cameras, when available, to make calls on disqualifications.

Under previous NCAA rules, underwater cameras were allowed to confirm violations called by an official on deck. The new rule change allows officials to use the cameras to make original calls.

This approval brings NCAA rules in line with international swimming, which already allows infraction calls to be initiated with the use of video review equipment.

In the official NCAA press release, committee members stated: “Officials should use the technology, if available, with the goal of ensuring the proper application of the technical rules.”

Additionally, the committee also approved the use of video review to determine whether the starter’s call for a false start in individual events is accurate.

The NCAA described the procedure as follows in their press release:

Video review can be used at championship or invitational competitions governed by a meet or games committee composed of representatives of multiple schools.

Before the beginning of the competition, a decision will be made by the meet committee as to when video reviews will be conducted, and all participants should be informed.

If video review is in place in championship meets, all disqualifications will be reviewed to evaluate whether the false start should be upheld. The referee and a conference or NCAA meet committee representative with no participating school affiliation can review the video to determine whether clear evidence exists to overturn the call.

The referee will have sole authority over the review. The decision will be a judgment call not subject to further review or appeal.

Other Approved Changes

• 50-yard stroke events are now allowed to be included in championship meets, and the committee clarified that in the event of an appeal in championship meets, “the meet committee has the authority to act in cases of procedure but not to overturn rules violations.”
• Allow the order of consolation and championship finals to be decided by the respective championship committee.
• Clarify that changing lanes for any reason during a race, while other swimmers are still competing, would result in disqualification (the Owen Lloyd rule).
• Align diving technical rules with USA Swimming and World Aquatics standards.
  • Proximity to the diving board during the flight.
  • Definition of tuck position.
  • Description of diving positions.
•  Align diving referee duties and responsibilities with USA Swimming and World Aquatics standards.
  • Protocols for inclement weather.
  • Clarification of points allocation and process for wrong position.
  • Declaration of failed dives.