Who is in charge of an artistic swimming competition, and what gets a routine disqualified?
A · Advanced · Judging and results · 3 of 3The Referee runs the session with the World Aquatics delegate: signals the start of the music, approves the penalties and the results, and rules on protests. A routine is disqualified if a swimmer stops or uses the wall for support, if a substitution is not notified or if a team falls below its minimum size.
How it works
- The Referee starts it: "Referees ensure that the athletes are ready and signal for the start of the accompaniment."
- Penalties and results: the Referee approves the penalties for any breach, and the results before they are announced.
- Protests: the Referee "shall adjudicate all protests in collaboration with the World Aquatics Delegate/Commission related to the session in progress".
- Disqualification: the Referee "shall disqualify" an entry "for any violation of the rules that they personally observe", and may act on reports from other officials.
- The named causes: stopping swimming or clear use of the wall for support; a substitution or withdrawal not notified in time; a team reduced below its minimum size.
- Not ready to compete: an athlete whose swimwear does not conform is held back until it does.
- Re-swims: the Referee may allow one when a stop was beyond the athletes' control, or when an unexpected event stops the judges from giving an award.
- The crew: two panels of five judges, three difficulty controllers, three synchronisation controllers, two timers, a sound centre manager and evaluators who lead the judges' discussions.
- Judges: chosen from World Aquatics lists. The Referee may replace one who is absent, unable to act or "found to be inefficient or biased".
The glossary has the referee, the technical controllers and the judges' panels.
Tricky cases
Can the Referee change a judge's mark?
No. Judges' scores cannot be changed after they are posted on the scoreboard. The Referee signs the scores to make them official.
Is a routine disqualified for going over time?
No. Time faults cost eight points each.
Can a routine be swum again after a disqualification for stopping?
Yes, if the Referee finds the stop was caused by circumstances beyond the athletes' control.
Can a team protest a judge's mark?
It depends on the protest rules in Part One of the regulations, which treat decisions of fact as closed to protest. How that applies to artistic swimming marks was not checked for this page.
Why the rule exists
A judged sport needs someone who is not judging. The Referee gives no marks, so the person who applies the penalties and hears the protests has no score of their own to defend.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| World Aquatics events and Olympic Games | The full crew of controllers and evaluators | AS 21.2 |
| Figure sessions | An assistant referee for each panel of judges | AS 21.2.2 |
| Protests | The general procedure is in Part One | Part One, Article 13 |
From the rule book
World Aquatics, Competition Regulations, Part Seven: Artistic Swimming Rules (in force as from 1 January 2025), Articles 13.6.2, 13.6.3, 16.4.1, 16.5, 18.1.5, 20.5, 21.2, 22.1 to 22.8 and 26.4. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: World Aquatics Competition Regulations (PDF).