Is a swimmer who swims in or into the wrong lane disqualified?
No, except as noted below. USA Swimming Technical Rules are somewhat different than NCAA Rules on this point. The USA Swimming rule states that the swimmer must start and finish the race in the same lane (USA-S Rule 102.10.4). Assuring that the swimmer swims in the correct heat and lane is the responsibility of the Head Lane Timer (USA-S Rule 102.16.3.B(1)). The NCAA rules say that a swimmer must swim in the lane and/or heat assigned, and failure to do so shall result is a disqualification from that event (NCAA Rule 3-1-4-b). The NCAA rules further state that a swimmer who deliberately changes lanes during a race shall be disqualified (NCAA Rule 2-5-1-b). In any case, under both sets of rules, if the swimmer interferes with another swimmer, he/she is subject to disqualification and the affected swimmer may have to be given the chance to re-swim the event (USA-S Rule 102.10.6 and NCAA Rule 2-5-1-a).
