Section 8: Safety Considerations
8.1 Deck Safety — General
World Aquatics requires that all competition venues maintain safe deck conditions throughout all sessions. Non-slip surfaces must be maintained on pool decks, starting block platforms, and all walkways. Wet deck areas adjacent to the pool must be clearly delineated. Competitors, coaches, and officials must wear appropriate footwear on deck except during active competition.
8.2 Lifeguard Requirements
A minimum number of trained lifeguards must be on duty at all times during practice and competition sessions in World Aquatics sanctioned events. Lifeguards must be positioned to observe the entire pool. Lifeguards must not serve simultaneously as officials, coaches, or competitors. Rescue equipment (reaching poles, rescue tubes, and a spine board) must be immediately accessible at poolside.
8.3 Medical Personnel
A qualified medical professional (physician or emergency medical technician) must be present or immediately available for all World Aquatics sanctioned competitions. An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) must be located at the venue and accessible within a maximum of 3 minutes response time. Medical personnel must be identified and their location known to all officials before competition begins.
8.4 Head Injuries and Concussion Protocol
World Aquatics has adopted a concussion recognition and management protocol consistent with international sports concussion guidelines. Any swimmer suspected of having sustained a head injury or concussion must be immediately removed from competition and evaluated by medical personnel. A swimmer removed for suspected concussion may not return to competition in the same session without written medical clearance. Return-to-sport protocols must follow World Aquatics published concussion management guidelines.
8.5 Anti-Doping
World Aquatics operates under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code and the World Aquatics Anti-Doping Rules. All swimmers competing at World Aquatics events are subject to in-competition and out-of-competition testing. Swimmers ranked in the top 10 in the world in any event, or selected at the discretion of World Aquatics Doping Control, may be tested at any sanctioned competition. Refusal to submit to a doping control constitutes a doping violation with consequences equivalent to a positive test.
8.6 Water Quality
Pool water must meet public health standards for competition and training. Chlorine, pH, turbidity, and microbial counts must comply with standards established by the relevant national health authority and World Aquatics venue certification requirements. Water quality reports must be available to World Aquatics officials upon request during sanctioned events. Competitions may be suspended or cancelled if water quality poses a health risk to competitors.
8.7 Thunder and Lightning Protocol
All outdoor aquatic competitions must have a lightning/thunder safety plan. The standard protocol requires evacuation of all swimmers from the water at the first observed lightning or heard thunder, with a minimum 30-minute delay after the last lightning strike before resuming competition. Indoor facilities with metal roofs or exposed structural elements must also have a documented protocol for electrical storm conditions.
8.8 Dive Safety
Diving from starting blocks is only permitted in pools with a minimum depth of 1.35 m (4 ft 5 in) at the starting end and 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) preferred for internationally sanctioned events. Shallow-water starts (in-water or push-off from the wall) must be used when pool depth at the starting end is below 1.35 m. World Aquatics strongly recommends a minimum depth of 2.0 m throughout for all competitive pools (as also required by SW Rule SW 1.1). Diving practices outside of competition or supervised coaching sessions are prohibited.
8.9 Swimmer Welfare During Extreme Conditions
World Aquatics reserves the right to modify competition schedules, postpone events, or implement additional safety measures in response to extreme environmental conditions including, but not limited to: extreme heat, air quality concerns, or water temperature outside the permitted range of 25–28°C. Athlete welfare committees may advise the Technical Delegate on such conditions during major championships.