A contestant who unnecessarily delays in assuming the steady starting position after the command Take your marks should be charged with a false start. At the starter's discretion, any time prior to the discharge of the pistol, he may order the contestants to stand up. Penalty for false start. The referee may also order any race to be swum over if, in his opinion, sufficient unfairness prevailed. Any contestant or relay team shall be disqualified if a teammate shall jump into the pool before all others have finished that event.
Any contestant is liable for disqualification from the event for using incorrect form.
In a freestyle event, any style or combination of styles may be used. The contestant shall push off on his back and continue swimming on his back throughout the race. The contestant may turn over beyond the vertical toward his breast and in a continuous motion take only one stroke, before his foremost hand has touched the end of the pool. The breaststroke must be swum on the surface. Both hands must be pushed forward simultaneously from the breast on or under the surface of the water and brought backward simultaneously and symmetrically.