Very interesting article.
I wonder, though, about his claim that the suits allow the French to win using "inferior" technique. Despite the fact that many elite sprinters have switched to straight arm freestyle, there still seems to be a stigma that it is inferior. If it's faster, it doesn't seem "inferior" to me ... Perhaps it's "superior" for sprinting, but not other distances.
His article also doesn't persuade me that swimming shouldn't continue to incorporate new products and suits.
Here is the latest on suit technology:
FINA to review all high-tech suits
Mon Dec 22, 2008 By Associated Press
The Speedo LZR suit, displayed by a host of Australian swimmers, will be analyzed by FINA in early 2009.
GENEVA (AP) -- The high-tech swim suits that helped produce more than 100 world records this year could be in for a new look.
Swimming's governing body said Monday it will take "appropriate action" when it meets March 12-14 in Dubai.
Members will get reports from a coaches' forum next month in Singapore and a Feb. 20 meeting of suit manufacturers at FINA headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. That meeting also will feature FINA technical committee members, swimmers, coaches and sports lawyers.
"FINA is looking for the collaboration of all the partners in this area, so that final decisions can be globally accepted and fully understandable by the swimming worldwide community," the federation said in a statement.
Any change in FINA rules could be in place for the 2009 world championships in Rome from July 18-Aug. 2.
There have been 108 world records since Speedo's LZR Racer suit became available to swimmers last February. The suits were designed and tested with help from NASA. Other manufacturers followed with their own high-tech suits.
FINA was criticized for upholding the suit designs for the Beijing Olympics and not providing a clear definition of what's an acceptable suit and a "device" that enhanced performance. Opponents say the suits create changes in buoyancy levels and amount to "technological doping."
Fifteen national teams at the short-course European championships in Croatia two weeks ago signed a protest letter urging FINA to set better guidelines regulating the suits.
USA Swimming has petitioned the governing body, requesting that suits "shall not cover the neck, extend past the shoulder, nor past the knee."
Swimming Australia joined the debate last week. It wants FINA to stop approving new suits and enforce a rule restricting swimmers to wear one suit at a time. Some competitors have worn two and three suits in races to create a more streamlined body shape and prevent the stretched material from splitting.
FINA has commissioned research from an unidentified university to examine the thickness of new suits and design a test that will determine whether they are "credible" within the sport.
Very interesting article.
I wonder, though, about his claim that the suits allow the French to win using "inferior" technique. Despite the fact that many elite sprinters have switched to straight arm freestyle, there still seems to be a stigma that it is inferior. If it's faster, it doesn't seem "inferior" to me ... Perhaps it's "superior" for sprinting, but not other distances.
His article also doesn't persuade me that swimming shouldn't continue to incorporate new products and suits.
Here is the latest on suit technology:
FINA to review all high-tech suits
Mon Dec 22, 2008 By Associated Press
The Speedo LZR suit, displayed by a host of Australian swimmers, will be analyzed by FINA in early 2009.
GENEVA (AP) -- The high-tech swim suits that helped produce more than 100 world records this year could be in for a new look.
Swimming's governing body said Monday it will take "appropriate action" when it meets March 12-14 in Dubai.
Members will get reports from a coaches' forum next month in Singapore and a Feb. 20 meeting of suit manufacturers at FINA headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. That meeting also will feature FINA technical committee members, swimmers, coaches and sports lawyers.
"FINA is looking for the collaboration of all the partners in this area, so that final decisions can be globally accepted and fully understandable by the swimming worldwide community," the federation said in a statement.
Any change in FINA rules could be in place for the 2009 world championships in Rome from July 18-Aug. 2.
There have been 108 world records since Speedo's LZR Racer suit became available to swimmers last February. The suits were designed and tested with help from NASA. Other manufacturers followed with their own high-tech suits.
FINA was criticized for upholding the suit designs for the Beijing Olympics and not providing a clear definition of what's an acceptable suit and a "device" that enhanced performance. Opponents say the suits create changes in buoyancy levels and amount to "technological doping."
Fifteen national teams at the short-course European championships in Croatia two weeks ago signed a protest letter urging FINA to set better guidelines regulating the suits.
USA Swimming has petitioned the governing body, requesting that suits "shall not cover the neck, extend past the shoulder, nor past the knee."
Swimming Australia joined the debate last week. It wants FINA to stop approving new suits and enforce a rule restricting swimmers to wear one suit at a time. Some competitors have worn two and three suits in races to create a more streamlined body shape and prevent the stretched material from splitting.
FINA has commissioned research from an unidentified university to examine the thickness of new suits and design a test that will determine whether they are "credible" within the sport.
