EPSA Rules and Regulations

Welcome to the official rules and regulations page of the Eastern Province Swimming Association (EPSA).

The purpose of these rules is to ensure fair competition, athlete safety, sportsmanship, and consistency across all EPSA-sanctioned swimming events. All swimmers, coaches, officials, volunteers, team administrators, and parents are expected to understand and comply with these regulations.

  1. General Principles

EPSA competitions are conducted to:

  • Promote competitive swimming in a safe and positive environment.
  • Encourage athlete development and good sportsmanship.
  • Ensure fair and equal competition for all participants.
  • Maintain integrity and transparency in competition results.
  • Support the long-term growth of swimming within the Eastern Province community.

All participants are expected to demonstrate respect toward athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, and spectators at all times.

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  1. Membership and Team Registration

Team Membership

A swimmer must be properly registered with an EPSA member club before participating in EPSA competitions.

Teams are responsible for maintaining accurate records of:

  • Membership applications
  • Registration forms
  • Transfer requests
  • Parent/guardian consent forms
  • Athlete eligibility records

Team Transfers

A swimmer may transfer between clubs in accordance with EPSA transfer policies.

Clubs must retain documentation supporting:

  • Date of membership application
  • Acceptance into the club
  • Previous club affiliation (if applicable)
  • Parent or guardian authorization

EPSA reserves the right to request supporting documentation at any time.

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  1. Athlete Eligibility

Athletes must compete in the appropriate age group based on their age as defined in the meet information package.

Athletes may only represent clubs for which they are officially registered.

Any attempt to enter an ineligible swimmer may result in:

  • Disqualification of entries
  • Removal from events
  • Team penalties
  • Additional disciplinary action

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  1. Meet Entries and Seed Times

All entry times submitted by clubs must be accurate and supported by verifiable competition results.

Acceptable proof may include:

  • Official meet results
  • Timing system backup files
  • Meet Manager database files
  • Official timing reports
  • Certified competition records

EPSA may request verification of any submitted entry time.

Failure to provide adequate evidence may result in:

  • Conversion of entry times to NT (No Time)
  • Removal from events
  • Additional review by EPSA

Submitting knowingly inaccurate times may be considered a violation of competition integrity standards.

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  1. Competition Documentation Requirements

To ensure transparency and integrity, clubs hosting competitions should maintain and retain the following records:

Required Meet Records

  • Meet Manager database files
  • Timing system backup files
  • Event results files
  • Lane timer sheets
  • DQ (Disqualification) slips
  • Scratch reports
  • Meet announcements
  • Session reports

These records should be retained for a minimum period determined by EPSA and must be provided upon request during any review or protest process.

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  1. Timing and Results

EPSA recognizes results generated by approved timing systems and meet management software.

Official results are determined by:

  1. Automatic Timing System (ATS)
  2. Semi-Automatic Timing System
  3. Manual timing procedures when necessary

In case of discrepancies, the Meet Referee shall determine the official result in accordance with applicable swimming rules.

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  1. Protests and Appeals

Any protest regarding eligibility, entries, competition procedures, or results must be submitted through the team’s designated representative.

A protest should include:

  • Detailed description of the issue
  • Supporting evidence
  • Relevant event information
  • Contact information of the submitting representative

EPSA reserves the right to:

  • Request additional documentation
  • Interview relevant parties
  • Review meet records and supporting evidence

All decisions made by the designated EPSA review panel shall be final unless otherwise specified.

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  1. Code of Conduct

All participants are expected to uphold the highest standards of behavior.

Athletes

Athletes shall:

  • Compete fairly
  • Respect officials and coaches
  • Demonstrate sportsmanship
  • Follow safety instructions

Coaches

Coaches shall:

  • Act professionally
  • Promote athlete welfare
  • Respect officials and competitors
  • Ensure compliance with EPSA regulations

Parents and Spectators

Parents and spectators shall:

  • Support all athletes positively
  • Respect officials’ decisions
  • Maintain appropriate behavior throughout the competition

Abusive, threatening, discriminatory, or disruptive behavior will not be tolerated.

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  1. Safety

Athlete safety is the highest priority at all EPSA events.

Participants must:

  • Follow all facility rules
  • Obey instructions from officials and lifeguards
  • Use warm-up and warm-down lanes appropriately
  • Report injuries immediately

EPSA reserves the right to suspend or modify competition activities when safety conditions require.

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  1. Integrity and Fair Competition

EPSA is committed to protecting the integrity of competition.

Any participant found to have engaged in:

  • Falsification of records
  • Submission of fraudulent entry times
  • Unauthorized athlete representation
  • Misconduct affecting competition fairness

may be subject to investigation and disciplinary action.

Possible sanctions include:

  • Disqualification
  • Suspension
  • Loss of awards or records
  • Team penalties
  • Membership review

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  1. Rule Amendments

EPSA reserves the right to amend, update, or clarify these rules at any time.

The most current version published on the EPSA website shall be considered the official version.

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Contact

For questions regarding EPSA rules, athlete eligibility, competition procedures, or protests, please contact the EPSA Executive Committee through the official communication channels provided by the league.

Our shared goal is simple: provide a fair, safe, transparent, and enjoyable competitive swimming environment for every athlete.