End of Swimming's High-Tech Era

knoughtyd

End of Swimming's High-Tech Era : Record Setting Bodysuits Banned

In a major step towards checking rampant advances in technology, swimming's world governing body FINA has banned the high-tech, record-setting polyurethane-based bodysuits preferred by champion swimmers. This will come into effect in 2010.

FINA had come under heavy criticism for its failure to check rapid advances in swimsuit technology, which led to 108 world records last year and 30 so far this year. In the Olympic individual events, only four world records remain from the pre-2008 era.

Use of polyurethane-based swimsuits have been likened to doping, as some suits are suspected of creating ‘airtrapping’ effects which artificially enhance speed. There were concerns these suits devalue athleticism and make it easier for ordinary swimmers to excel.

The new ruling also means swimmers will be required to show more skin, as caps have been proposed on the amount of swimsuit cover: between the waist and knees for males, and not beyond the shoulders or below the knees for females.

The new stipulations require swimsuits to be made from ‘textiles’, but that term has yet to be defined. The ban does not start till 2010 but the polyurethane-based swimsuit era that swimwear giants Speedo introduced in the lead-up to last year’s Beijing Olympics will effectively be ushered out at the swimming World championships that start in Rome from Sunday.

FINA rules in general are only for Worlds and Olympics. It’s normally up to each federation to decide on their own rules.

There were concerns that swimsuit tech was encroaching on the sport’s integrity as far back as 2000, when full-body suits were introduced, replacing men’s lycra briefs and women’s lycra one pieces.

The big question is whether this will spell the end of technological innovation in swimming. Italy, for example, was opposed to the new suits before last year’s Olympics, when the Americans and Australians benefited with Speedo’s LZR Racer. Currently, bodysuits from Italian manufacturers Jaked and Arena are considered the fastest.

The next big debate will now revolve around whether 2008-09 records should be marked with an asterisk, as some FINA members have suggested

This is what Olympic Champion Michael Phelps had to say about the ban

Originally Posted by Michael Phelps

“I like it. I think it’s going to be good"

patch01

I think we'll find that those nations which have traditionally excelled in swimming sports, will continue to do so............... I doubt very much if the so-called super-suits create as much of a difference as FINA, the media & certain nations actually make out....

Agnel

I have read somewhere it really does help. This is a wonderful move. Technology should not be misused

medpal

This is another good step towards increasing spectators interest in swimming.

Swimming like cycling was tainted with so many drug scandals earlier after they were weeded out, it was time of the high tech rich associations sweeping the medals.

now atleast for the tiny sum of time the human supremacy will be back.

I am excited to see the comeback of australians (though they were one of the maximum gainers of tech), germans, southafricans, romanians in pool.

Safin

I wonder if Phelps would have been as good as he was without the suits.
Maybe he was but unless he now repeats his performance, many will think that the swimsuits had a role to play in his record breaking feat.

Kimi

Originally Posted by Safin

I wonder if Phelps would have been as good as he was without the suits.
Maybe he was but unless he now repeats his performance, many will think that the swimsuits had a role to play in his record breaking feat.

Hmmm...Wish Phelps should win the world championships

patch01

I personally think FINA is going to regret their premature actions.... There's a wealth of money & technology involved in all sports and swimming is no exception..... FINA may have just awakened the sleeping giant of corporate power, with all the advertising and prestige they can bring to any event...

As to the athletes themselves, I think that the ones at the top are going to stay there... regardless of what they have to wear...

Sudarshan_SMD

Originally Posted by Safin

I wonder if Phelps would have been as good as he was without the suits.
Maybe he was but unless he now repeats his performance, many will think that the swimsuits had a role to play in his record breaking feat.

He can prove that possibly by, breaking World record again.

knoughtyd

Bowman blasts FINA over delay on swimsuit changes

World swimming's executive body confirmed on Tuesday they will ban the high-tech bodysuits that have turned the record-book upside down, but said the change won't come until next April or May.

The FINA Bureau confirmed an overwhelming vote by the FINA Congress last week to ban the bodysuits made of polyurethane and other polymers that critics say offer unacceptable performance enhancing properties.

The ban was originally projected to come into effect on January 1 of next year. But FINA executive director Cornel Marculescu said that the exact date of the implementation was not yet certain, although he vowed it would be "without question no later than April or May."

The delay raised a red flag for Bob Bowman, coach of US star Michael Phelps and head coach of the US World Championship team.

"I want swimming to go back to racing. This move to April is unacceptable," Bowman said. "It has to be January 1. If not, you know, next Monday.

"You can't trust what they say. It might be never."

The rules come too late to prevent a world record binge at the 2009 World Championships, where 15 world records fell in the first three days of competition.

That included Paul Biedermann's victory over Phelps in the 200m freestyle, in which the German eclipsed Phelps's world record.

No ban, no Phelps

FINALLY, the resentment that has been simmering in swimming's World Championships has reached boiling point. No bodysuit ban, no Michael Phelps.US star Michael Phelps will not swim in major meets until super suits are made illegal

His coach Bob Bowman did not mince words after his amphibious freak of nature lost to relative unknown Paul Biedermann, who was wearing the Arena X-Glide body suit, in the 200m freestyle Tuesday.

Bowman said: 'I'm done with this. The sport is in shambles and Fina better do something or they're going to lose their guy (Phelps) who fills these seats.

'That would be my recommendation to him, to not swim internationally.' Phelps added: 'Bob chooses where I swim.'

Fina will ban the high-tech swimsuits. But only from next year, and even then no sooner than May. Until then, records will fall like rain and the debate will rage - was it the man or the suit that won?

Phelps' world-record time was smashed by 0.96sec by Biedermann, who finished in 1min 42sec. In Beijing, the German ended fifth in 1:46.00.

'We've lost all the history of the sport,' Bowman said. 'Does a 10-year-old boy want to break Biedermann's record? Is that going to make him join swimming?

'It took Michael from 2003 to 2008 to go from 1:46 to 1:42.9 and this guy's done it in 11 months. That's an amazing training programme.'

The new generation suits work on the same principles as aerodynamics. Just like reducing drag helps planes fly faster, reducing body drag helps humans swim faster. Studies show that skin friction amounts to almost one-third of the total force restraining a swimmer in the water. Companies such as Arena have spent enormous sums researching which fabrics and weaves drag the least.

Kimi

I would say right what Phelps has decided...If its the suits that makes or breaks records,then its not sportsmanship.......Phelps