There's been a reference already to this, but USA Swimming's Rules & Regulations Committee issued its long awaited interpretation of the FINA suit list.
Since this is a modification to USA Swimming Article 102, the rule change is so amended in USMS rules effective immediately, unless it is painfully rejected or modified (USMS 601.4.7B). That being said, they may choose to state the rest of this differently or interpret it differently, plus the minor issue of how you enforce this.
On May 19, 2009, FINA issued a list of swimsuits approved for competition. The approved list, which was effective immediately and is attached, includes 202 swimsuits. The Rules and Regulations Committee, under the provisions of Article 511.1, has the authority to alter or amend any provision of Part One of our rules to conform to the rules of FINA. Accordingly, effective immediately, Article 102.9 is amended as follows:
102.9.1A: Only swimwear approved by FINA, as reflected on its published list of approved swimwear, may be worn in any USA Swimming sanctioned or approved competition.
(Existing subsections A, B, and C of Article 102.9.1 shall be redesignated as subsections B, C and D, respectively.)
Since the FINA approved list only addressed new model swimsuits submitted by swimsuit manufacturers, swimmers will, until otherwise directed by FINA, also be able to wear traditional swimsuits not on the FINA approved list as long as the swimsuit meets the following criteria:
1. For female swimmers, the swimsuit shall not cover the neck, extend past the shoulders or past the pelvis, and
2. For male swimmers, the swimsuit shall not extend above the navel or below the knees.
In addition to the 202 approved swimsuits on the attached FINA list, there were an additional 136 swimsuits that could be resubmitted to FINA for reconsideration and possible approval. The expected decision date for such approval is June 19, 2009. At such time as FINA publishes any list of additional swimsuits approved for competition, those additional swimsuits will also be approved for USA Swimming sanctioned or approved competitions.
(remainder snipped because it applies to World Championship Trials only)
So it looks like you can wear your 15 year old The Finals suit in the relative safety that it complies with the rules.
Patrick King
Remember everyone that this is only probably what will happen.
The rule change (new USA-S 102.9A) (requiring suits to be on the FINA approved list), is automatically adopted unless 9/10 of the Rules Committee AND a majority of the Executive Committee vote to modify, repeal, alter, change, etc (this is the 601.4.7B I was referring to). It's possible that USMS could reject this change and interpret FINA's list on its own terms. For example, USMS could say that you only need to apply with this rule if you want to set a FINA world record or get in the FINA top 10, or have your swim observed for USA Swimming purposes. Or they could say that suits approved prior to September 2007 are approved (after all, that's a similar modification to the one USA Swimming made for unapproved suits). We just don't know at this point.
That being said, I would expect USMS to issue some kind of interpretation and rule change similar to the USA Swimming one in the not so distant future (although it could take some time; it took USA Swimming at least a week).
Let's get some free publicity for USMS and all just swim in a few meets buck naked! The playing field will be level, no one will be on it, but it would be level!
I'm so confused. I'd say 100+ wore B70s to the OW race this past weekend. I was planning on wearing it again to L. Berryessa....
Why can't we all just be naked? (think of the savings!)
Right now, USMS 303.6.1 follows the Article 1 swimwear rules (USMS 102.14.1 and 102.14.2, which are largely equivalent to USA-S 102.9, without the 12 & Under suit rule) for open water, but I can't help but thinking that the Open Water committee might choose this point to get off the train and rewrite their apparel rules. Note that last weekend, there were no interpretations on how to handle the FINA list, so they weren't really illegal per se.
Patrick King
Remember everyone that this is only probably what will happen.
The rule change (new USA-S 102.9A) (requiring suits to be on the FINA approved list), is automatically adopted unless 9/10 of the Rules Committee AND a majority of the Executive Committee vote to modify, repeal, alter, change, etc (this is the 601.4.7B I was referring to). It's possible that USMS could reject this change and interpret FINA's list on its own terms. For example, USMS could say that you only need to apply with this rule if you want to set a FINA world record or get in the FINA top 10, or have your swim observed for USA Swimming purposes. Or they could say that suits approved prior to September 2007 are approved (after all, that's a similar modification to the one USA Swimming made for unapproved suits). We just don't know at this point.
That being said, I would expect USMS to issue some kind of interpretation and rule change similar to the USA Swimming one in the not so distant future (although it could take some time; it took USA Swimming at least a week).
Let's get some free publicity for USMS and all just swim in a few meets buck naked! The playing field will be level, no one will be on it, but it would be level!
I'm so confused. I'd say 100+ wore B70s to the OW race this past weekend. I was planning on wearing it again to L. Berryessa....
Why can't we all just be naked? (think of the savings!)
Right now, USMS 303.6.1 follows the Article 1 swimwear rules (USMS 102.14.1 and 102.14.2, which are largely equivalent to USA-S 102.9, without the 12 & Under suit rule) for open water, but I can't help but thinking that the Open Water committee might choose this point to get off the train and rewrite their apparel rules. Note that last weekend, there were no interpretations on how to handle the FINA list, so they weren't really illegal per se.
Patrick King
