Seeing Red In The Open Water. What Is A Red Card?
A red card (or red flag) given in an open water swimming competition is a red-colored penalty card (or flag) that indicates the immediate disqualification (DQ) of an athlete due to unsportsmanlike conduct or a serious infraction of the rules during an open water race. If an open water swimmer has been called for one yellow card (or yellow flag) during the race and commits another infraction worthy of a yellow card, he is automatically given a red card instead. That is, two yellow cards equal one red card.
Upon receiving a red card, the swimmer must immediately get out of the water and swim off the race course.
Photo shows a race official on a JetSki at the 15 km FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix race in Isla Cozumel pointing a red flag to a swimmer.
Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.
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