Why can relay teams change swimmers and why do prelim'ers get medals?

In article said:

Noticed a common thing (also again at the WC). Some (ie. the countries with depth) relay teams use
different swimmers for prelims vs the finals. How did this come about? The team members should be
the same from prelims to finals. Teams with great depth have an unfair advantage. Also, the prelim
times do not accurately rate the current team. For example, the USA mens 4X100 medley at the last
night of the WC, none of the four finalists swam in the prelim. Also, why do the prelim swimmers
get medals? Padding? Kinda cheapens the medal in my opinion.

Different ways to argue this one. Each country is limited to a set number of swimmers. So there is
that limitation. In principle, the relays are team events. This is analogous to having two halves in
a soccer match. The team can use different players in the first half than in the second, if it
chooses. Same thing in water polo (a perhaps closer analogy). Of course a team with more depth has
an advantage. It is an advantage to bring in fresh players in the second half, compared to having to
play the same players for the whole game. But this is reflection of team strength. And water polo is
a team game. And relays are also a team game.

It's my recollection that the prelim swimmers will no longer get Olympic medals in the future. A
mistake, I think, as making finals is a prerequisite to winning the medals, but there are obviously
differences of opinion.

Larry Weisenthal

Certitude is poison; curiosity is life

Larry Weisenthal said:

Different ways to argue this one. Each country is limited to a set number of swimmers. So there is
that limitation. In principle, the relays are team events. This is analogous to having two halves
in a soccer match. The team can use different players in the first half than in the second, if it
chooses.

Not normally. It is more common for the number of substitutions available to be limited in any
vaguely signficiant match. It is more analogous to two rounds in a knockout competition such as the
world cup.

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Think about it!