What changed for stroke and turn judges in 2026?
Rule- USA
- USA Swimming
- Stroke and turn
- Age group and senior meets
- All ages
- 2026 rules
- Officials
From the 2026 rulebook:
- Starting position: the Starter or the Stroke and Turn Judges now enforce the correct starting position (101.1.2E).
- Lanes: a swimmer must stay in and finish in the lane they started in (102.21.5).
Amendments issued after printing (effective immediately, and they override the printed and PDF text):
- Butterfly, backstroke and freestyle finishes: once some part of the head has passed the final 5-meter/5-yard mark before reaching for the finish, the swimmer may be completely submerged.
- Breaststroke: after a turn, the body must be on the breast before any stroke or kick after leaving the wall (previously "when leaving the wall").
- IM freestyle: the swimmer must return to the breast before any kick or stroke after leaving the wall.
- Warning signal and counters: these now apply to freestyle events of 400 meters/500 yards or longer.
- Tape: therapeutic elastic tape is banned. Up to two fingers or toes may be taped together for an injury.
The current amendment text is on USA Swimming's Rules & Regulations page.
Added 21 Oct 2026