Ryan Lochte’s radical new rotating turns have been banned in freestyle legs of individual medley events.
Swimming’s governing body FINA sent a new rules “interpretation” notice to member federations Monday.
Instead of rotating onto his stomach immediately after pushing off the wall at last month’s swimming world championships in Kazan, Russia, Lochte remained on his back for 10 meters, since he kicks better that way.
The interpretation states, “Being on the back when leaving the wall for the Freestyle portion of the Ind. Medley is covering more than one quarter of the distance in the style of Backstroke and is, therefore, a disqualification.”
Lochte used the technique to win the 200 individual medley at worlds for a fourth consecutive time.
Lochte can continue to use the turns in freestyle events.
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