I just want to clarify since it was my post that started this whole discussion in the first place.
I understand that angular position can be changed without violating conservation of angular momentum (i.e. the cat landing on its feet), however, it seemed to me as I watched the diving that the divers were terminating an existing rotation and it was THAT which seemed to violate the law. I thought perhaps they were merely slowing the rotation by means of changing their moment of inertia but it really seemed that the rotation stopped.
I also seemed to have missed a few posts so perhaps someone already addressed this. Any diver/physicists out there?