Four-time Paralympian Ahmed Kelly, a swimmer from Australia, faced a disqualification that was later overturned, leading to a silver medal win in the Paris Paralympics. The controversy arose during the 150m medley SM3 event when Ahmed was initially disqualified for allegedly using the butterfly stroke instead of the allowed freestyle stroke. However, a lesser-known rule in the competition's regulations permitted swimmers to use any stroke for freestyle, except backstroke or breaststroke.
Swimming Australia intervened, highlighting the oversight in the judging decision. Fellow Australian swimmer Annabelle Williams clarified that Ahmed's use of the double-arm butterfly stroke was within the rules of freestyle. Despite judges mistaking his stroke for butterfly, underwater cameras revealed his adherence to the freestyle technique.
