Freediving as we all know is a recreational sport as well, but when it comes to the professional side of Freediving, it is necessary to know the rules and regulations about this sport. When it is an adventure sport and there is a chance of risk involved, then it is highly required to have the first hand knowledge of that sport. So let us know now about what exactly are the rules and the regulations of Freediving.
Important Rules about Freediving
The Competitive Side of Freediving
Freediving is also known as an adventure sport and when it comes to a sport it is necessary to have a governing body who decides the rules of the game and oversee the game neutrally. In freediving there are two governing bodies, one of them is AIDA International or International Association for Development of Apnea and the other one is CMAS or World Underwater Federation. Mostly the freediving is hardly a team sport and hence it is played by individuals except the bi-annual World Championship for the Teams which is organized by the AIDA. In this competition the combined scores of the team members are counted as a total score by a team.
There are total nine different categories in which the individual freedivers participate. There are dozens of categories which are locally played by the freediving enthusiasts for which there is no binding of AIDA or CMAS. Freediving has been played by both men and women and there is no different rule or and exception for them. The main aim for freediving is to achieve new records.
The Recognized Categories of Freediving
The following categories are recognized either by AIDA or by CMAS of by both.
Pool Disciplines
- Timed breath holding attempted inside a swimming pool is recognized as Static Apnea by AIDA.
- The Underwater swimming with the help of bi-fins of monofin in a swimming pool with pre-decided distance is called Dynemic Apnea with Fins and is recognized by both AIDA and CMAS.
- Swimming in underwater within the limits of a swimming pool without the usage of fins or monofins are called Dynemic Apnea without Fins and is recognized by AIDA.
Depth Disciplines
- When the athlete has to dive deep by following a guideline which suggests that he or she is not allowed to actively use during the dive and the constant weight is not allowed to be dropped by the divers is called Constant Weight Apnea and it is approved by AIDA. Bi-fins and monofins are allowed.
- When the rules given above are followed, but just that the bi-fins and monofins are not allowed it automatically becomes Constant Weight Apnea without Fins. It is approved by AIDA.
- When a participant uses a guide role to pull himself or herself down to the depth of the pool and then coming back on the surface, it is called Free Immersion Apnea and it is approved by AIDA.
- When the athlete is allowed a weighted sled for decent and it helps him or her to return to the surface by pulling themselves along with the swimming line with the help of fins, it is called Variable Weight Apnea and it is recognized by AIDA.
- When a diver is allowed to use any means of breath holding, while diving and returning to the surface as long as the guideline is followed to measure the distance it is called No-limit Apnea and is recognized by AIDA.
- When a diver is allowed to descend and swim as far as possible, but in a cubic form of 15 x 15 meters it is called the Jump Blue and is recognized by CMAS.