The independent witness behind every ratified swim
AMSA is building a distributed network of independent marathon-swimming observers across Africa. Experienced swimmers, swimming officials and maritime professionals are welcome to register their interest.
Observer accreditation is open as a pilot under AMSA’s draft rules, which are not yet adopted. Create a free account, take the course and apply. An AMSA administrator decides every application.
Observer registerOn the escort vessel, from first stroke to finish
An observer is independent of the swimmer and their team. They travel on the escort vessel and document the swim against AMSA’s published rules, so that independent reviewers can later assess exactly what happened.
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Before the swim
Confirm and brief
Confirms the swim’s category and route, reviews the rules with the swimmer and crew, declares any conflict of interest and records starting conditions.
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During the swim
Watch and record
Keeps the swimmer under observation and logs times, positions, feeds, conditions and incidents, noting anything that may affect compliance with the rules.
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After the swim
Declare and submit
Completes the observer log and signed declaration, and submits the evidence to AMSA. The observer documents; independent reviewers decide.
An observer represents the record, not the swimmer.
A ratified swim is only as credible as the account behind it. The independent reviewers assessing a swim were not on the water; they rely on someone who was, and who had no stake in the outcome.
That is why observers must be independent of the swimmer, their crew and their sponsors, must declare any potential conflict in advance, and must record what happened, including anything that counts against the swim.
Who can become an observer
AMSA welcomes interest from people with real experience of open water:
- Experienced marathon and open-water swimmers
- Swimming officials
- Maritime professionals
Working requirements
Draft, awaiting adoptionThese are a working draft and will be confirmed in AMSA’s observer requirements and Observer Code of Conduct.
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1
Open-water experience
As a marathon swimmer, crew member, swimming official or maritime professional. Minimum experience: to be confirmed.
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2
Knowledge of the rules
A working understanding of AMSA’s swimming rules, once adopted, and of how they apply on the water.
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3
Fitness for long days at sea
The ability to remain alert and accurate on an escort vessel for the full length of a swim.
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4
Careful record-keeping
Clear, timed and complete logs that another person can review without having been there.
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5
Independence and integrity
Agreement to the Observer Code of Conduct, and a declaration of interests before each swim.
From interest to accreditation
Every step runs online and works on a phone and a slow connection. Experienced observers do not have to take the full course first: they can be approved on their record, but every observer acknowledges the rules and signs the declaration. Passing the assessment never grants accreditation by itself.
Pilot under draft rules-
1
Create an account and profile
Open nowYour experience, qualifications and any conflicts of interest. Free.
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2
Course and assessment, or your record
Open nowRead the four-module Observer Course and pass the assessment, or apply through recognition of previous observing experience.
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3
Acknowledge the rules and sign the declaration
Open nowRequired of every observer, however experienced.
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4
AMSA decides
Open nowAn authorised AMSA administrator reviews your application and approves it, or explains why not. Approved observers can choose to appear on the public register.
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5
Observe a swim
Open nowAssigned swim by swim, after declaring any connection with the swimmer. The observer is never the swimmer’s skipper or crew.
AMSA retains accreditation authority
AMSA sets observer requirements and independently grants, renews, suspends or withdraws approval and accreditation. No Swim Ops course, or course or assessment from any other provider, is automatic accreditation; a completion or result is supporting evidence for AMSA’s own review.
Swim Ops: the designated platform
Swim Ops will be AMSA’s designated observation and evidence platform, subject to independent approval and appropriate safeguards, so observers will log swims in a standard digital format. Swim Ops records the evidence; it never approves observers or decides swims. Swim Ops could one day deliver observer training and assessment; that is a possibility under discussion, not an existing course or agreement.
What an observer gathers
AMSA’s standards concern the evidence, not the tool used to collect it. Whatever is recorded, the reviewers need a complete and trustworthy account of the swim. Evidence received is not ratification; only AMSA’s independent reviewers can ratify a swim.
- Observer log and declaration
- Timed entries and a signed statement.
- Start and finish times
- Timestamps at each end of the swim.
- GPS track
- Coordinates and the route swum.
- Conditions
- Water temperature, weather and sea state.
- Feeding log
- Each feed, timed and described.
- Incident reports
- Contact, stoppages and safety events.
- Photographs and video
- Start, finish and key moments.
- Observer notes
- Context the reviewers should know.
Observer Code of Conduct
The code will define an observer’s independence, duties, professional standards and reporting obligations. Marathon swimming is a small community, and close connections are common. A conflict is not a failing; an undeclared one is. Because AMSA’s founders and committee members may themselves be active marathon swimmers, the same principle applies to them.
Draft, in preparationExpectations the draft is built on
- An observer is not part of the swimmer’s crew, coaching team or sponsors, and does not also act as the escort vessel’s skipper.
- Any family, personal, financial or professional connection with the swimmer is declared before the swim.
- The observer records what happens, including anything that may count against the swim.
- The observer does not decide whether a swim is ratified; independent reviewers do.
- Concerns about safety or conduct are reported to AMSA promptly and in writing.
Which relationships rule an observer out of a particular swim will be set in AMSA’s Conflict-of-Interest Policy and Observer Code of Conduct once adopted.
Interested in observing?
Create a free AMSA observer account, read the course and apply. Accreditation decisions in the pilot are made under AMSA’s draft rules and record the rules version they were made under.
Common questions
Something else? Contact us.
Can I observe a swim for AMSA now?
Accreditation is running as a pilot under AMSA’s draft rules. Once an authorised administrator approves you, AMSA can assign you to a registered swim; you then declare any connection with the swimmer and acknowledge the rules version fixed for that swim.
Do I need to pass an exam?
Not necessarily. You can pass the online assessment, or experienced observers can apply through recognition of experience, where an administrator reviews your record and confirms your knowledge of the rules. Either way, you must acknowledge the rules and sign the observer declaration, and an administrator decides.
Will I use Swim Ops?
Swim Ops is intended to be AMSA’s designated observation and evidence platform, subject to independent approval and appropriate safeguards. How observers are set up on it, and what happens where it cannot be used, will be set out once the observer policy is adopted.
Would a Swim Ops course make me an accredited observer?
No. Swim Ops may in future offer observer training and scenario-based assessment, but no such course exists yet. AMSA alone grants accreditation; a completion or result from any provider would be supporting evidence for AMSA’s review, not automatic accreditation.
Can I observe a friend or club-mate?
Any connection must be declared before the swim. Which relationships rule an observer out will be set in AMSA’s Conflict-of-Interest Policy and Observer Code of Conduct, once adopted.