Technical Official's Guide to Swimming South Africa Galas All Ages 2025/26

Under World Aquatics rules (Part Two, Article 2.3), the Referee:

• Has full control and authority over all technical officials, approves their assignments and briefs them on any special features of the events.
• Enforces all World Aquatics rules and decides any matter about the conduct of the competition not assigned to someone else.
• May intervene at any stage to make sure the rules are followed.
• Makes sure all necessary officials are at their posts, and may appoint extra officials or replace any who are absent, incapable or inefficient.
• Starts each race procedure with whistles and hands the swimmers to the Starter with an outstretched arm.
• Disqualifies swimmers for breaches the Referee sees or that other officials report.
• Determines placings when finish judges are used without automatic timing.
• Appoints officials to check relay take-offs.

At SSA championships, the Referee also receives written protests and, in a dispute, the Referee's decision is final.

Under World Aquatics rules, each timekeeper times the swimmer in their assigned lane:

1. Start the watch at the starting signal (the Starter stands within about 5 m of the starting end, where timekeepers can see and/or hear the signal).
2. Stop the watch when the swimmer in your lane completes the race distance.
3. If the Chief Timekeeper asks, record intermediate (split) times in races longer than 100 m.
4. Promptly after the race, write the time from your watch on the lane card, hand it to the Chief Timekeeper, and show your watch for inspection if asked.
5. Reset your watch at the Referee's short whistles announcing the next race.

Without automatic or semi-automatic equipment, there are two timekeepers per lane. At SSA inter-club and provincial championships, clubs entering five or more swimmers must supply a trained timekeeper for every session.

When no automatic or semi-automatic equipment is used, two timekeepers time each swimmer to 1/100 of a second, and the official time is:

The Referee then decides the winner and placings from the official times. Swimmers with equal times share the place. Each timekeeper must be appointed or approved by SSA (as the national federation) and use a watch certified as accurate.

Times and places from automatic equipment are presumed accurate and take precedence over hand times and finish judges. If the equipment fails to record a place or time for one or more swimmers, the Referee collects all automatic times and places, plus all timekeepers' and finish judges' records, and then:

Placings

• Swimmers with an automatic time and place keep their order relative to each other.
• A swimmer with an automatic time but no place is placed by comparing that time with the automatic times of the others.
• A swimmer with no automatic time or place is placed by comparing their semi-automatic or timekeeper time with the others' automatic times.

Official times

• Swimmers with an automatic time keep that time.
• Swimmers without one get their semi-automatic or timekeeper time.

The rules note that, unless video timing is used, a full team of timekeepers may still be needed even when automatic equipment is in use.

These roles are used when automatic timing isn't available (World Aquatics rules, Part Two, Article 2).

Chief Timekeeper

• Assigns timekeepers' seats and lanes. Without automatic or semi-automatic equipment there are two timekeepers per lane plus at least one reserve (for example to take over if a watch fails).
• Records the time of the winner of each race.
• Collects each lane's time card, inspects watches if needed, and records the official time on the card for each lane.

Finish Judges (if appointed)

• Sit in line with the finish, with a clear view of the course and finish line at all times.
• After each race, report the placings to the Referee according to their assignments.
• May not act as timekeepers in the same race (unless operating semi-automatic equipment as allowed by the rules).

When finish judges are used without automatic equipment, the Referee determines placings if necessary.

Under World Aquatics rules:

Inspectors of Turns

• One per lane at each end of the pool, checking the start, every turn and the finish.
• Jurisdiction at the start end: from the starting signal until the first arm stroke is completed (the second arm stroke in breaststroke).
• At each turn: from the start of the last arm stroke before the touch until the first arm stroke after the turn is completed (second in breaststroke).
• At the finish: from the start of the last arm stroke before the touch.
• In 400, 800 and 1500 m freestyle they count laps, show odd-numbered lap cards at the turning end, and the start-end inspector signals (whistle or bell) when the swimmer has two lengths plus 5 m to go.
• At the start end they check relay take-offs: the next swimmer's feet must still be on the block when the incoming swimmer touches.
• They install and remove the backstroke ledge in their lane, set at zero.

Judges of Stroke

• Positioned on each side of the pool, checking that the stroke rules for the event are followed, and helping the Inspectors of Turns at turns and finishes.
• Make sure the backstroke flags are at 5 m from each end wall before backstroke and medley events.

Both report breaches to the Referee.

Under World Aquatics rules:

• The Referee makes disqualifications. Inspectors of Turns, Judges of Stroke and the Starter report breaches within their own jurisdiction to the Referee.
• If the Referee personally sees a breach, the Referee disqualifies the swimmer.
• If another official verbally reports a breach, the Referee may disqualify. Once the Referee confirms it, the reporting official completes and signs a disqualification card showing the event, lane number and infraction.
• False starts: the Referee disqualifies a swimmer for starting before the signal when the early start is observed and confirmed by the Starter and the Referee. Where automatic equipment is available, the Referee reviews the footage to verify the disqualification.
• Each official decides within their own role independently of other officials.
• A disqualified swimmer gets no time or place in the results. In a relay, the team is disqualified, but legal splits swum before the disqualified swimmer are still recorded.
• If a breach (for example obstruction) hurt another swimmer's chances, the Referee may let that swimmer swim again in the next heat, or, if it happened in the last heat or a final, order it to be re-swum.

World Aquatics rules (applied by SSA at national competitions):

• Swimmers must wear a swimsuit and may wear goggles and a cap. Nothing else may cover the body.
• Women's suits must not cover the neck, extend past the shoulders or go below the knee (one or two pieces allowed). Men's suits must be one piece and must not go above the navel or below the knee.
• Suits must be non-transparent, in good taste, and on the World Aquatics List of Approved Swimwear.
• No device that may aid speed, buoyancy or endurance, such as webbed gloves, fins or adhesive substances.
• Tape is allowed on one or two fingers or toes only if needed to treat or protect an injury.
• A data-collection device is allowed only if it can't transmit data, sounds or signals to the swimmer and can't aid performance.

SSA advertising rules:

• Only official club or provincial team caps; two caps may be worn if both comply.
• Cap: one manufacturer's logo up to 20 cm² on the front; team or province name up to 32 cm² on each side (a team sponsor's logo of up to 32 cm² may replace it on one side).
• Suit: one sponsor's logo and one manufacturer's logo, each up to 30 cm² when worn.

Where a call room is used, Call Room Judges report possible swimwear or advertising breaches to the Call Room Supervisor, who decides and reports any breach to the Referee.

Under World Aquatics rules (Part Two, Article 2), which SSA applies at national competitions:

Chief Recorder

• Checks results from computer printouts, or from the times and places received from the Referee.
• Witnesses the Referee's signature on the results.

Recorder

• Manages withdrawals after heats and semi-finals.
• Enters results on the official forms and lists any new records.
• Keeps the points scoring for awards, where relevant.

Control Room Supervisor

• Supervises the automatic and semi-automatic timing equipment.
• Checks the results printouts and the relay exchange printout, and reports any early relay take-offs to the Referee (and may review the video timing to confirm them).
• Must confirm to the Referee that the equipment didn't malfunction during a race.

At SSA inter-club and provincial championships, each club or province must provide SSA-registered, trained officials for every session, based on the number of swimmers it enters:

The officials' names must accompany the entries, or the entries aren't accepted. The penalty for each official not present is a R1,000 fine, and the club's or province's swimmers may be excluded.

Dress code:

• Finals: white shirt with navy-blue trousers or skirt.
• Heats: navy-blue shorts are also allowed.
• Closed white shoes at all sessions.

Under the SSA 2025-2026 competition rules, if weather or any other threat to swimmers' safety means part of the programme can't be completed, the Tournament Director and the Referee may:

• On the final day, if finals can't be completed, award the final results and medals on the heats results.
• On any other day, if finals can't be completed because of time, either reschedule the finals or award results on the heats.
• If circumstances require, swim any part of the programme as timed finals.

Under the SSA 2025-2026 competition rules:

• Only accredited team managers may lodge objections or complaints, or withdraw swimmers. Parents and swimmers can't lodge a protest themselves.
• A protest must be written, accompanied by R1,000, and lodged with the Referee within 30 minutes of the disqualification being published or announced.
• In the case of a dispute, the Referee's decision is final.