Dear USMS Membership,
The Executive Committee met this week and discussed the recent FINA news release. USMS does abide by FINA policies however we recognize that there is much confusion with interpreting and applying the FINA release. In response and until further suit policy clarification is provided by FINA, USMS Board President Rob Copeland issued the following statement. Additionally, the USMS Rules Committee will be meeting on May 31st as they monitor the situation, any new information made available, and the implications it could have on USMS sanctioned events.
Rob Butcher
Executive Director
To: Kathy Kasey, Rules Committee Chair
Marcia Cleveland, Long Distance Committee Chair
Date: May 20, 2009
At this point in time no suits should be listed as banned by U.S. Masters Swimming for pool or open water swimming.
While FINA has listed the 202 approved swimsuits, FINA has NOT listed the 10 suits that have been “rejected for not passing the tests of buoyancy and/or thickness” or made a ruling on the “136 swimsuits to be modified in accordance with “Dubai Charter”." Until FINA provides the definitive list of banned swimsuits and specific actions on the 136, we should not report any suit as banned in a USMS sanctioned event.
If you hear anything from FINA in contradiction to this statement, please inform me as soon as possible. The list of FINA approved suits can be found at: www.fina.org/.../index.php. The FINA press release can be found at: www.fina.org/.../index.php
Rob Copeland
President - United States Masters Swimming
Parents
Former Member
Here is my question: will swims done in a B70 (or any other non-approved suit) and in a USMS-sanctioned event count towards FINA top ten and FINA world records?
If FINA doesn't approve the suit for competition, I don't see why they would. I think USMS is not serving its members (or some of them, at any rate) if that is indeed the case.
Copout list, incomplete list, vague list, maybe so: but I just don't like USMS having a different set of rules than FINA.
Yeah most of us won't care is Mary-Beth Speedyswimmer goes fast in a non approved suit but if you're trying for a record you want it to count if you make it! Onus might be on the swimmer to pick an approved suit in this case.
Here is my question: will swims done in a B70 (or any other non-approved suit) and in a USMS-sanctioned event count towards FINA top ten and FINA world records?
If FINA doesn't approve the suit for competition, I don't see why they would. I think USMS is not serving its members (or some of them, at any rate) if that is indeed the case.
Copout list, incomplete list, vague list, maybe so: but I just don't like USMS having a different set of rules than FINA.
Yeah most of us won't care is Mary-Beth Speedyswimmer goes fast in a non approved suit but if you're trying for a record you want it to count if you make it! Onus might be on the swimmer to pick an approved suit in this case.
