If the suit were available to everyone for purchase and use, I don't think we would be having this discussion at all. People could make their own decision about the value of any performance benefit the suit may provide. Since it is not, Speedo/ FINA is fueling controversy by allowing its use.
Even if the suit were available, people would be byatching about it just like wet suits.
Controversy is good for swimsuit sales and driving up demand.
Hard to ever have a level playing field, as Geek notes. Even on race day, there are huge differences. What if someone is sick or injured or couldn't sleep that night or their plane got in late or they had no chance to get used to the bulkhead or their suit ripped or ballooned or their coach wasn't there or they had to swim back to back events or they drown in the wake of sandbaggers or they swam in an outside lane or whatever ... So while the pool itself might be the same, other conditions of competition are inherently unequal.
If the suit were available to everyone for purchase and use, I don't think we would be having this discussion at all. People could make their own decision about the value of any performance benefit the suit may provide. Since it is not, Speedo/ FINA is fueling controversy by allowing its use.
Even if the suit were available, people would be byatching about it just like wet suits.
Controversy is good for swimsuit sales and driving up demand.
Hard to ever have a level playing field, as Geek notes. Even on race day, there are huge differences. What if someone is sick or injured or couldn't sleep that night or their plane got in late or they had no chance to get used to the bulkhead or their suit ripped or ballooned or their coach wasn't there or they had to swim back to back events or they drown in the wake of sandbaggers or they swam in an outside lane or whatever ... So while the pool itself might be the same, other conditions of competition are inherently unequal.
