New rules announced today!
BBC
World swimming governing body Fina has moved to limit the impact of the controversial hi-tech swimsuits.
Last year saw an astonishing 108 world records broken, 79 of them by swimmers wearing one suit, the Speedo LZR Racer.
But following a three-day meeting in Dubai, Fina has stipulated swimsuits should not cover the neck and must not extend past the shoulders and ankles.
... opponents of the hi-tech suits argue the buoyancy they create amounts to "technological doping".
And matters came to a head in December when 17 world records tumbled at the European Short-Course Championships with the sight of swimmers squeezing into more than one suit in an attempt to compress their bodies and trap air for buoyancy dismaying many observers...
Article
Former Member
So does this mean that swimming is joining baseball and will now have to include the dreaded asterisk * on all these recently attained records done in tech suits?
So does this mean that swimming is joining baseball and will now have to include the dreaded asterisk * on all these recently attained records done in tech suits?
At the time the records were broken, no rules were. The suits were legal and were not challenged by any governing body or official at the meets in question.
No asteriks should be required any more so than if a change in stroke (like flip turns in back) would have caused an asterisk.
It’s about time FINA started giving some opposition to the so called “tech suit” fad.
Any world’s records in swimming are meaningless if they are achieved merely through a bunch of personal mechanization gimicks.
Now watch this thread go up in flames of another verbal altercation just like all the other comments I’ve posted on this subject. :bitching:
Dolphin 2
This post is marked with an * .
It’s about time FINA started giving some opposition to the so called “tech suit” fad.
Any world’s records in swimming are meaningless if they are achieved merely through a bunch of personal mechanization gimicks.
Now watch this thread go up in flames of another verbal altercation just like all the other comments I’ve posted on this subject. :bitching:
Dolphin 2
Dolphin,
I believe the limitations FINA has put in place generally make sense. There will still be plenty of world records broken in the future because there is a lot more to breaking records than just the suits. Several world records were broken last summer by swimmers not wearing full tech suits (Lochte, Phelps wore just legskins) so they are not a requirement to break a world record.
The world does not stay static in any sport so why such the fuss? "Mechanization", really? Are you secretly Janet Evans and just pissed that you lost your world records and this is your form of therapy? If so, I somewhat understand and I hope you eventually get over it although I think your world records would have been broken by the current group of swimmers with or without the tech suits.
Tim
It’s about time FINA started giving some opposition to the so called “tech suit” fad.
Any world’s records in swimming are meaningless if they are achieved merely through a bunch of personal mechanization gimicks.
Now watch this thread go up in flames of another verbal altercation just like all the other comments I’ve posted on this subject. :bitching:
Dolphin 2
Dolfin 2
Your definition of mechanization is wrong. And it does not apply to a swimsuit: To equip with machinery, or relating to or involving machines, or operated, produced or performed by machine. Boat yes, suit no.
And I'm sorry but no swimsuit will "compensate for the lack of swimming ability". The suit can't swim for you. Help with speed, yes, as do all tech suits. I do believe the argument isn't do they help, but how much?
Humans are not biologically designed to swim? Really? Hmm, what the heck have I been doing for exercise, health, and recreation for the past 28 years then? I must concede I do not live in the ocean, but I think I do OK. Along those same lines, I guess my dog can't swim either. Nope, haven't seen him in the pool once! (And no, I'm not buying my 100 lb German Shepherd a B70!)
Since you seem to have some time on your hands, why don't you write FINA a letter and suggest to them that they sanction races with paddles and fins? I bet some people would be all over it.
You just leave the tech suits to the serious competitive swimmers.
However, unlike golf, tennis, or baseball, the mechanization of a what is biologically a non-mechanical human athletic endeavor does not constitute an advancement of the sport. In the past, FINA has maintained a policy which is to minimize the effects of mechanization and in particular minimizing the role of suits.
I see you know nothing about baseball as well if you think pitching is a mechanical human endeavor.
Please cite your FINA references, specifics.
Also, please let us know the club you assist with in the Bay Area. There's a good chance I'll be in the Bay Area in mid May and I'll drop in on you. However, Walnut Creek is the daddy there.
Swimming is not an inherent human instinct either. If you drop any human who has never learned how to swim at even a rudimentary level into deep water, they will not know how to react and they will panic ---and possibly drown!!!
As a non-swimmer yourself, I trust you know this from personal experience.
Stop dodging - club name!!!
