Officials Bulletin - Winter 2025

Swimming Canada Update

After numerous discussions with the Provincial Executive Directors, the CSCA, and the OCRC, we have decided to postpone the full implementation of rule C.2.3.2.1 until the start of the 2026 season (September 2026). We need to provide more clarity in the guidance document and also take the time to provide more education before actual consequences are put in place to better ensure consistency across the country in the implementation of the rule.

Swim Ontario Update concerning rule C.2.3.2.1

The following adjustments have been made to the bulletin HERE

Application of Rule

Education Period (Until August 31, 2026)

During the education period, the rule will focus on awareness and correction:

• The Starter reports any observed misconduct to the Referee.
• The Referee may:
  
  • Issue and record a warning if they also observed the misconduct and agree with the Starter’s report.
  • Issue and record a warning based on the Starter’s report even if the Referee did not personally observe the misconduct.

Independently issue and record a warning if the Referee observes misconduct that the Starter did not report.

Repeat offenders - Education period in place until the next season, however, repeated offenders, with warnings given at a competition, may be disqualified.

To help keep track of warning, the following document has been developed and tested at a few competitions. Clubs do not need to use this, it is simply a tool we are providing to help while at competitions.

Meet Warning Form

Meet Packages

Required Statements & Meet Package Templates

The required statements and meet package templates that are developed each season are there to help host clubs, meet managers and competition coordinators develop their meet packages.

All required statements are based on rules found in the rule book or Swim Ontario Procedures. The goal is to only update these annually. With the rule book changing monthly it has been a challenge for everyone to keep up with latest changes that may affect these required statements.

As mentioned, the rule book has been updated since the beginning of the season, necessitating some updates to meet package required statements. In particular,

• The Competition Rules statement updated late in September & December (was missing mixed gender rule)
• The Disqualification & Appeal Process (formerly Disqualification & Protest Process) updated in early November

To help better identify what type of competition configuration a meet will run under, we are asking Meet Managers to include in the Meet Purpose description of existing meet package to identify the following competition configurations for their meet:

• Single Ended
• SCM Double Ended
• LCM Chase Starts

In addition, if the meet will run as LCM Chase Starts, a new required statement has been added for meets with LCM Chase Starts. The statement reads

SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR LCM CHASE STARTS

• Officials will ensure finishing swimmers clear the wall quickly, move to the lane rope, and follow Inspector of Turns direction so incoming chase swimmers can turn safely.
• Para heats must be fully cleared, no more than two heats may be in the water during LCM chase starts, and 50m events must allow full clearance before the next heat finishes.
• Coaches are responsible for ensuring swimmers remain aware of incoming chase swimmers and follow all instructions provided by the Inspector of Turns.
• For those that have meets sanctioned where LMC Chase Starts is the configuration, please update your meet package and send with next revision. The statement does not affect the entries management but will be important for the running of the meet. It also needs to be added to any coach bulletin.

The required statement document and templates can be found HERE in the Resource section

Some MMs and CCs have requested slight changes to required statements to better suit their particular environment / situation. When properly communicated in advance, those changes can be approved prior to the review of the sanction application making things much easier for everyone involved.

Examples:

• The deadline for Relay Name Changes must be declared in the meet package. It does not have to be 30 mins before the start of the session as the template may indicate. However, allowing changes to be made while the event/race is taking place to avoid disqualification for swimmers swimming in the wrong order or a different swimmer is against the rules. All swimmers and their order need to be declared before the start of the event and cannot be changed after the fact. This can be difficult to track if clubs are permitted changes without a deadline.
• Official Splits deadline must be declared in the meet package. Currently, the required statement indicates 30 mins before the start of the session. However, this can be modified, provided the official split deadline is declared for sometime before the event. It cannot be after the event has taken place. It is what works best for the running of the meet but staying within the rules.

In saying all this, it is important to review the different options in a template and make sure the choices that are made make sense with the running of a meet and management of entries.

• If you have deck entry choices outlined in your meet package, it is important to follow those. If you chose no deck entries, then that needs to be followed. If you choose only deck entries for swimmers already entered in the meet, then that needs to be followed and any swimmer deck entry is denied.

Any actions that don’t follow the meet package is a violation of the sanction.

REMS Meets Module Updates

• Meet Entries Email Communication: When you are sending an email communication from the Meet Entries page, the Reply to Email field is now functioning correctly.
• The payment option for post meet invoices has been resolved.
• Priority List issues are resolved.
• New visuals for downloaded files
• Masters Individual Swimmer Entries functioning
• High priority fixes: D/deaf or Hard of Hearing report, Coaches report, Entry Summary report fixes (relays), Time validation and other cosmetic improvements.

Find the latest updates HERE

Rule Book Update

• A rule book effective December 8, 2025 has been published HERE
• A strikeout version is also posted.

CLUB Application for Financial Support for Mentor Officials

Swim Ontario is committed to supporting the development of officials across the province through financial assistance for mentor officials at sanctioned competitions. Clubs seeking support must demonstrate both the operational need and the financial feasibility of hosting mentor officials. Funding is not guaranteed and will be determined based on the information provided in this application, including the meet budget and projected revenues and expenses. In some cases, funding may be shared between Swim Ontario and the host club, and in other cases no funding may be awarded. For more information see HERE

Officials Funding

Funding is open for Regional and Ontario Age Group meets. Details and application can be found HERE. Changes to funding amounts are coming for the 2026-2027 fiscal.