Is Kitajima's Pullout still illegal? He does his dolphin kick before he takes the pull. This was on the Fina website

quote:

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Breaststroke (Rule 7)…
SW 7.4 During each complete cycle, some part of the swimmer's head shall break the surface of the water. After the start and after each turn, the swimmer may take one arm stroke completely back to the legs. The head must break the surface of the water before the hands turn inward at the widest part of the second stroke. A single downward dolphin kick followed by a breaststroke kick is permitted while wholly submerged. Following which, all movements of the legs shall be simultaneous and in the same horizontal plane without alternating movement.
Interpretation: A dolphin kick is not part of the cycle and is only permitted at the start and turn whilst the arms are pulling back to the legs or after the arm pull whilst wholly submerged followed by a breaststroke kick.

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Judging by the interpretation provided by Fina, it looks as if his pullout would be illegal.

I guess I'm alone on this one.

I don't really have a good answer. I don't know the rules well enough. The only thing I remember the commentators saying is that he took 2 dolphin kicks at the last Olympics or World Championships and he was not called for it, which people were upset about.

I think that he should be disqualified, its just that in International competition very rarely outside of a relay are they going to dq a swimmer. I just wish some official would grow a pair and do it.

I'm mostly out of the loop, but I know that the pullout rules have been changed in the last couple years that make his pullout legal. However, it's not to say it's borderline.

Lots of people arguing about this. Based on the English version of Fina's rules (written first in French) it looks like Kitajima's dolphin kick starts early.

I think it is stupid to argue about. I don't think he is the only one that does this. This kind of technicality is very difficult to see from above the surface of the water. I don't see how a stroke judge can call it with turbulence, bubbles, the speed, and glare. They need to write rules than can be enforced. I don't want to see swimming forced to use underwater cameras to judge races.

Kitajima is a phenomenal competitor and he kicked everyone's ass in the 100 breaststroke. He is a warrior.

[This message has been edited by SpicewoodAg (edited 8/13/2008 10:34a).]

spicewood - too late. they're already planning on using underwater cameras in the VERY near future.

they tested the system in omaha.

Legal or not, I think FINA screwed up by allowing any dolphin kick. This is breaststroke, not butterfly.

Based on the title, I thought this thread was going to be about something else.

It's very illegal, but they'll never call it. And they completely missed his 1 hand touch at the 150m meter mark in the 200 final. The guy is a cheater. But, to be fair, he's not alone. Liesel Jones does the same thing on her breaststroke.

i agree that is illegal...but i do believe that they changed the rules before these games...and than makes it legal