Swimming

A day after Olympic champion Janet Evans said she was leaving Stanford because an NCAA rule limiting practice to 20 hours weekly would inhibit her preparation for the 1992 Games, the NCAA said the rule was being misinterpreted.

Evans was joined in exodus by Melvin Stewart, 20, the world 200-meter butterfly champion from Tennessee.

But the NCAA says the 20-hour rule is being misinterpreted.

“That limit refers to the amount of time that a coach can require a student athlete to participate in his or her sport,” NCAA spokesman Jim Marchiony said. “Swimmers can voluntarily practice as many hours as they want. The coach may be present during voluntary individual workouts when the student athlete uses institution facilities.”