NCAA Swimming & Diving Rules Committee Proposes Using Underwater Cameras to Call DQs

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

Under current NCAA rules, underwater cameras are allowed to confirm violations called by an official on deck. The new proposal would allow officials to use the cameras to make original calls.

“Rules committee members feel that officials should use the technology, if available, with the goal of ensuring the proper application of the technical rules,” the NCAA said in a release.

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

Video Reviews on False Starts

Another proposal recommends using video review to determine if a starter’s call for a false start in an individual event (i.e. on a flat start) is accurate.

Video review could 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 should 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 would 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 could review the video to determine whether clear evidence exists to overturn the call.

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

All rules proposals must be approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel before becoming official. If approved when the panel meets to discuss swimming and diving recommendations July 17, rules changes would become effective for the 2025-26 academic year.

Other Major Proposals

• Allow the order of consolation and championship finals to be decided by the respective championship committee. This seems to be related to proposals that consolation finals be held in a separate session from championship finals, an idea that was met with mixed reviews during the recent CSCAA meetings.
• Clarify that changing lanes for any reason during a race, while other swimmers are still competing, would result in disqualification (the Owen Lloyd rule).
• Clarifying that 50-yard stroke events are allowed in all championship meets, a proposal supported by the CSCAA and in line with the addition of 50-meter stroke races to the Olympics
• Clarifying that the meet committee has the authority in cases of an appeal to act on procedure but not overturn rules violations.
• 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.

“I’m proud of the NCAA Swimming and Diving Rules Committee and its efforts this year to improve the rulebook,” said Abigail Howard, committee chair and deputy director of athletics and chief administrative officer at Army West Point. “The committee is comprised of coaches and administrators committed to moving the sport forward.”