Poll: should Libby Lenton have the record

Drafting is not illegal, so how could it possibly invalidate the swim? because she wouldn't have gained the advatage that she did in a real race. would this be fair: A woman wearing fins and a woman in the next lane drafting off of her and getting a world record. the woman with fins would obviosly get dqed and the other woman would get the wr. Is that fair? Well phelps was going about as fast as a woman with fins. The point is, its not natural to gain an advantage off a man or a woman with fins. And down the road if someone goes a 53.02 in a regular race they are going to say i wish i had phelps to draft off of.

Since someone mentioned Thorpe...didn't he swim just a littl bit behind Grant Hackett at the 2001 Worlds in the 800 free? Then on the last 100 out sprint Hackett to win and break the world record? So, should that have counted since he swam just a bit behind Hackett for 700 meters, letting him do more of the work? Just wondering... The way I see it, the major difference here is that Thorpe passed Hackett. He took the aid of the draft but eventually swam faster than his opponent. I don't know if this actually occured, I am just basing this upon the situation you have described. With Lenton and Phelps, she took the aid of Phelps when she could but never surpassed him. She was not capable of swimming faster than the person she was drafting from.

The reason that this is not being ratified is probably a bit different than any argument that I've seen here so far. It is probably similar to the reason that they don't allow records in track events (road events are different) to stand if they are set in mixed competition. The idea has always been that in mixed events men can easily pace women to world (or other) record times. FINA is probably ruling this way so that we don't start to see deliberately set-up records using men as pacers. I'm not saying that this happened in this case, but that FINA is attempting to be proactive about it. -LBJ Lenoard not arguing with you--just expanding on a point that you've mentioned here (not neccessrily these being your beliefs) that there is something wrong with men pacing women in mixed events. The women still have to run it. I think pacing devices (other people or counters) are not an issue, provided the technology is distributed equally and not prohibitively expensive. In swimming I see it as not different to a fast skin, or the like. Why do sports allow "sciencing out" of chance and luck in some aspects but not others. Just my tuppence worth.

Geek, Hypothetically speaking.....you're a Natural home run hitting type of a guy.....your coach, trainer or friend hands you some "Muscle Cream" as you call it, says it works really well for them..... You: A) Use it? B) Take it and have it tested for all sorts of illegal substances, some of which were not even illegal at that time?

Geek, I believe this is where we should agree to disagree. You see it one way....I see it the other.

When we talk records, I won a race 100 fly it tied the Canadian record, the guy who came second Cameron Grout applied for the a new record as his time was 1 tenth second faster then my time (in the days of the stop watch timers) however I obviously won the race. They awarded him the record even though he was second. The same thing happened that day in the 100 free I had the fastest time he won the race.

Geek, Hypothetically speaking.....you're a Natural home run hitting type of a guy.....your coach, trainer or friend hands you some "Muscle Cream" as you call it, says it works really well for them..... You: A) Use it? B) Take it and have it tested for all sorts of illegal substances, some of which were not even illegal at that time? This was not directed towards me but I'll give you my reply anyhow. Were I a natural home run hitting kinda guy I would not want to do anything to jeopardize my current status.

OK, so many people saying "no" feel Lenton got an advantage due to Phelps swimming in the next lane. So, do you also think Bob Beamon's phenomenal long jump record in the 1968 Olympics shouldn't have been allowed? After all, the jump was done in Mexico City at 7,400 feet with the maximum allowable tailwind at his back. These factors definitely gave Beamon an "advantage." Maybe not over the other competitors on that day, but certainly over people who previously jumped at sea level with no wind aid. Kirk, there is nothing to stop everyone who feels the location played a factor from travelling there to try their chances...IMHO. I'm trying to figure out what the unfair advantage you have over me is...you can't just possibly be faster...there must be a reason... ;) FTR I don't have a strong opinion on LL I see both sides of it. Was it drafting or pacing etc.

When we talk records, I won a race 100 fly it tied the Canadian record, the guy who came second Cameron Grout applied for the a new record as his time was 1 tenth second faster then my time (in the days of the stop watch timers) however I obviously won the race. They awarded him the record even though he was second. The same thing happened that day in the 100 free I had the fastest time he won the race. It sounds like you did not really win the race then.

Did Libby take drugs before she raced????