FINA Swimming Rules: Timekeepers, Judges & Officials

Posted on Mar 23, 2025 in Law & Jurisprudence

SW 2.9 Timekeepers

SW 2.9.1 Each timekeeper shall time the competitor’s lane assigned to him in accordance with SW 11.3. The clocks used will be certified as correct to the satisfaction of the Management Committee of the competition.

SW 2.9.2 Each timekeeper shall start his watch at the start signal and stop it when the swimmer in his lane has completed his race. Timekeepers may receive instructions from the chief timekeeper to record times at intermediate distances for races over 100 meters.

SW 2.9.3 Immediately after the race, the timekeepers in each lane shall record the times of their watches on the card, deliver it to the chief timekeeper, and, if requested, present their watches for review. Watches should not be cleared until the Chief Referee gives a short whistle signal to start the race.

SW 2.9.4 Unless a video system is used, it may be necessary to use the full complement of timekeepers even when automatic equipment is in operation for competition.

SW 2.10 Chief Finish Judge

SW 2.10.1 The chief finish judge shall assign each finish judge his position and the location he will control.

SW 2.10.2 After the race, the chief finish judge will collect the signed cards with the results from each judge and establish the final results and places, sending them directly to the referee.

SW 2.10.3 When using an automatic judging system to determine the end of a race, the chief finish judge must report the order of finish recorded by the computer after each competition.

SW 2.11 Finish Judges

SW 2.11.1 Finish judges shall be placed in elevated positions on the same finish line to have, at all times, a clear view of the race and the finish line, unless they operate automatic equipment in their assigned lanes by pressing a button at the finish of the race.

SW 2.11.2 After each event, judges shall decide and report the finish order of the competitors according to the assignment they have been given. Finish judges, other than automatic equipment operators, shall not act as timekeepers in the same event.

SW 2.12 Desk Control (Except for Olympic Games and World Championships)

SW 2.12.1 The chief recorder is responsible for reviewing the results issued by the computer printer or the time reports received from the referee. The chief recorder shall witness the signing of the results by the Chief Referee.

SW 2.12.2 The recorders shall control withdrawals after the heats or the finals, record results on official forms, register new records established, and score when required.

SW 2.13 Decision-Making of Officials

SW 2.13.1 The officials will make their decisions autonomously and independently of any other person, unless otherwise provided in the swimming rules.

SW 3 Composition of Heats, Semifinals, and Finals

The starting positions in all swimming events at Olympic Games, World Championships, Regional Games, and other FINA competitions will be awarded as follows:

SW 3.1 Heats

SW 3.1.1 All swimmers will be registered with their best competition time in the last twelve (12) months prior to the competition entry deadline. These times will be sorted by the Competition Management Committee. Swimmers who do not register with official recorded times will be considered the slowest and placed at the end of the list without time. The placement of swimmers with the same time or no time will be determined by lot. Swimmers will be placed in lanes according to the procedures outlined in SW 3.1.2. Swimmers will be placed in heats according to their registered time as follows:

  • SW 3.1.1.1 If there is only one heat, it will be seeded as a final and will be swum only during the final session.
  • SW 3.1.1.2 If there are two heats, the fastest swimmer shall be placed in the second heat, the second fastest will be placed in the first heat, the next fastest is placed in the second heat, the next in the first heat, etc.