Under the rules Portnov, having started, could not stop before take-off. On protest to the Swedish referee G.Olander he was allowed to repeat the dive and went ahead again of Mexico's Carlos Girón. Later protests by Mexico against the re-dive and by East Germany that their Falk Hoffmann wanted to re-dive after allegedly being disturbed by photographic flashlights were both turned down by FINA.
Portnov, having started, was unable to abort before lift-off under the rules. He appealed to Swedish referee G.Olander and was allowed to retry the dive, which he completed ahead of Mexico's Carlos Girón. Subsequent protests from Mexico regarding the re-dive and East Germany's claim that Falk Hoffmann wanted to retry after being startled by flashlights were both rejected by FINA.