MVS Related Rules, Regulations and Information
Sections 6 through 8
Section 6 -- Missouri Valley Scratch Rules
A. Individual Scratch Rule -- Each swimmer must determine the meet starting time and shall report to the proper meet authorities promptly upon call.
1. Pre-Seeded Meets -- Each swimmer shall report promptly prior to the start of each race in which the swimmer is entered.
a) Any swimmer not reporting for or competing in an individual timed final event shall not be penalized.
b) Any swimmer not reporting for or competing in a preliminary heat when finals are scheduled shall not be penalized.
2. Deck-Seeded Events -- Any swimmer entered in an individual event that is seeded on the deck, in whole or in part, who has checked in for that event, must swim in the event unless the clerk of course is notified before the seeding for that event has begun that the swimmer wishes to scratch. Failure to scratch prior to seeding and not swimming the event will result in the swimmer being barred from the next individual event in which the swimmer is entered on that day or the
next meet day, whichever is first. Events seeded on the deck shall be closed for seeding no earlier than thirty (30) minutes prior to the start of the session.
3. Scratching from Consolation Finals and Finals
a) Any swimmer qualifying for a consolation final or final race in an individual event who fails to compete in said consolation final or final race shall be barred from further competition for the remainder of the meet, except as noted in 4. below.
b) In the event of withdrawal or barring of a swimmer from competition, the Referee shall fill the consolation final or final when possible with the next qualified swimmer(s). First and second alternates shall be announced along with the final qualifiers. These alternates shall not be penalized if unavailable to compete in the finals.
c) Where consolation finals have not yet been swum and a barring or withdrawal is known to the Referee, the Referee shall reseed the consolation final and the final, if necessary, to insert the alternate(s) in the appropriate lane(s), filling all lanes in the final.
d) If a consolation final has already been contested, the companion final shall be contested without reseeding for the empty lane(s).
4. Exceptions for Failure to Compete -- No penalty shall apply for failure to withdraw or compete in an individual event if:
a) The Referee is notified in the event of illness or injury and accepts the proof thereof;
b) A swimmer qualifying for a consolation final or final race following preliminaries notifies the Referee, or designee, within thirty (30) minutes after announcement of the qualifiers for that final race that the swimmer may not intend to compete and further declares his final intentions within 30 minutes following the swimmer's last individual preliminary event;
c) It is determined by the Referee that failure to compete is caused by circumstances beyond the control of the swimmer.
B. Relay Scratch Rule
1. Pre-Seeded Meets -- Any relay team entered in a pre-seeded relay event that fails to compete in or report for that event shall not be penalized.
2. Relays Seeded at the Meet
a) Any relay team entered in a relay event that is seeded on the deck, in whole or in part, that has been checked in and the swimmer's names declared for that event, must swim the event unless the clerk of course is notified before the seeding for that event is begun that the relay team wishes to scratch.
b) A relay team member failing to appear ready to swim for the relay event shall be barred from the next individual event in which the swimmer is entered either that day or the next meet day, whichever is first. The relay team members who do appear ready to swim shall not be penalized for failure of other relay team members to appear.
c) Exceptions -- Relay teams or team members who give acceptable notification to the Referee of illness, injury, or that failure to compete is caused by circumstances beyond the control of the swimmer(s) shall not be penalized.
If a Missouri Valley Club has already sent out meet information for an upcoming meet, the following cancellation policies apply:
A. If less than 20% of the number of swimmers listed in the meet information as being the number that will be accepted by the host club enter the meet, the meet may be cancelled by the host team, with no penalty, so long as the teams who did enter the meet are notified within 24 hours following the entry deadline;
B. If more than 20% of the number of swimmers listed in the meet information as being the number that will be accepted by the host club enter the meet, and the host team cancels the meet, a penalty may be imposed by the Meet Scheduling Committee and/or the General Chair. Additionally, if the meet was on the Missouri Valley Meet Schedule, the host team will not receive a sanction for that meet weekend the following year;
The "Four Hour Rule" is contained in §204.2.1 of the USA Swimming Rules and provides:
With the exception of championship meets, the program in all other age group competition below the national A-time level shall be arranged to allow the events in the 10 and under and 11-12 age groups to be completed in four (4) hours or less for a timed finals session or in a total of eight (8) hours or less per day for a preliminaries and finals meet.
To comply with this provision, Missouri Valley Swimming has adopted the following rules:
A. Definition of Terms: "Championship Meet," is defined as any closed swimming competition, the scored outcome of which designates a team as placing first in a league, YMCA or LSC Championship. This definition also includes the Missouri Valley Division II Meet, even though it is not scored.
B. Missouri Valley Rules Guidelines:
1. For all meets, a session is deemed to have begun when the first heat of competition is started, and is deemed to have concluded when the final swimmer in the final heat of the final event has finished.
a) For purpose of the Four Hour Rule, the "start" of each session is considered to be the start of the first heat of competition, regardless of whether swimmers in that heat fall within the auspices of the "Four Hour Rule;"
b) Also for purpose of the Four Hour Rule, the "finish" of each session shall be considered the final touch of the last swimmer who does fall under the auspices of the "Four Hour Rule," regardless of whether that is the last heat scheduled in the session.
2. In the event of an interruption of competition caused by weather and/or mechanical malfunction or breakdown, the referee may, with discretion, rule that the time taken to wait for suitable weather or to repair equipment should not be included in determining the length of the session.
3. The time set aside for warm-up shall not be included in determining the length of the session.
4. Meets which fall within the "Four Hour Rule," §204.2.1, for 10 and Under and 11-12 age groups include:
- All C meets;
- All B/C meets;
- All A/B/C meets;
- All meets designated by the host as "developmental;"
- All meets that designate events as "novice;"
- All 8 and Under competition;
- All dual meets, including all League or Blanket Sanction meets;
5. If events which do not fall within the "Four Hour Rule," such as 13 and Over or "A" events, extend a session beyond the requisite time limit, the host shall be deemed in compliance with both the letter and spirit of the rule. If all events of the 10 and Under and 11-12 age groups of swimmers who are below the National "A" classification standard have concluded within the prescribed time as measured from the start of the session, there is compliance with the rule.
6. It is the obligation of the host club to work with the meet Referee to assure, in advance, that all meet sessions to which the "Four Hour Rule" is applicable comply with that rule.
7. In the event a meet session subject to the "Four Hour Rule" runs beyond 4½ hours, the meet host shall pay to Missouri Valley Swimming 100% of all entry fees for all swims that begin beyond the "Four Hour Rule" limit.
8. If, at the end of four hours of timed finals competition, or eight hours of preliminary and finals competition, in sessions that fall within the "Four Hour Rule," the events scheduled for that session have not been completed, and the host club elects to cease operation of that session, all entry fees for events not swum shall be refunded to the participants
9. In addition, the Missouri Valley Board of Directors may, from time to time, establish further guidelines and/or recommendations for penalties for violation of the "Four Hour Rule."
C. Minimum Time Between Sessions for same competitive classifications -- The minimum time between the end of one program session and the start of competition for another program session in which the same competitive classifications are competing shall be two (2) hours.
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