The Amateur Swimming Association, or ASA, is England's governing authority for swimming. Established in the 1860s, it continues today as the authority for all water sports in England, including water polo, swimming, open water swimming and synchronized swimming. Its goals are wide, from running learn-to-swim programs to helping its elite swimmers attain gold medals at the Olympics. As the governing body, it also sets the rules for the correct stroke when swimming competitively.
False Starts
In ASA swimming, false starting results in immediate disqualification. A false start in the ASA means that a swimmer leaves the starting position prior to the starting gun sounding. If the false start is declared before the starting gun sounds, the swimmers return to the starting point and the race is started again without the false-starting swimmer, who is disqualified. If, however, the false start is determined after the starting gun sounds, the race finishes and false-starting swimmer is disqualified at the end of the race.
Touches
In all strokes, you must push off from the wall at the turn. You cannot push off from the bottom of the pool or take a step. In breaststroke and butterfly, you must touch the wall simultaneously with two hands. You can touch below the water, at the water line or above the water. However, in breaststroke, your stroke prior to touching must include a fully submerged head. In freestyle and backstroke, you need only touch with one hand. However, at the end of a backstroke race, you must touch from your back.
Body Position
In backstroke, you must swim on your back, except for the turn. At the turn, you can roll onto your front and execute a forward flip turn. You can only be on your front for one arm pull, either single arm or double arm. For butterfly, you must stay on your front. All leg and arm movements must be simultaneous, but not on the same plane. However, no flutter or breaststroke kick is allowed. In breaststroke, you must maintain your arms in one horizontal plane, moving simultaneously. Your legs must also use a simultaneous motion on the same horizontal plane, no flutter kicking.
Dolphin Kick
The ASA allows a dolphin kick in a variety of strokes at the start and turn. However, it strictly controls its use. In breaststroke, while your feet may break the surface of the water, you cannot propel yourself using a dolphin kick at any time in the race. In butterfly, a swimmer may use dolphin kicks and one arm stroke while still completely submerged, but must break the water's surface within 15 meters of the start or turn. In backstroke, any kicking must be a continuation of the turn movement.
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