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
And could they refuse to accept all USMS times, regardless of the suit worn, because compliance cannot be established?
I think that they could and that they well may, although I would appreciate some confirmation or correction from a true rules guru.
Conceptually, the problem is the same as "did she surface before 15m, or not?" :D If the swimmer does not get DQ'd, then the swim counts for the record books, even if someone suspects that the responsible official was distracted at the critical moment. FINA respects the USMS meet results on the point because FINA is satisfied that USMS follows the FINA rule.
With swimwear, USMS has announced that it will follow a rule that FINA may, or may not, accept as consistent with the FINA rule. If FINA does accept USMS's interpretation as OK, then times I swim in meets officiated according to the USMS rule will count. If FINA does not accept USMS's interpretation as OK, then my times will not count in FINA's eyes no matter what I personally do, because there will be no way to demonstrate after the fact that I did (or did not) comply with FINA's rule.
The bottom line to me, then, is that I may as well wear whatever is consistent with my own personal goals. Those goals include not being DQ'd, so I will wear whatever USMS says is OK. But even if FINA's standard turns out to be more restrictive than USMS's, going above and beyond USMS's standard to meet FINA's more restrictive standard is not going to make any difference at all to whether or not my swim shows up in the 2009 FINA TT.
And could they refuse to accept all USMS times, regardless of the suit worn, because compliance cannot be established?
I think that they could and that they well may, although I would appreciate some confirmation or correction from a true rules guru.
Conceptually, the problem is the same as "did she surface before 15m, or not?" :D If the swimmer does not get DQ'd, then the swim counts for the record books, even if someone suspects that the responsible official was distracted at the critical moment. FINA respects the USMS meet results on the point because FINA is satisfied that USMS follows the FINA rule.
With swimwear, USMS has announced that it will follow a rule that FINA may, or may not, accept as consistent with the FINA rule. If FINA does accept USMS's interpretation as OK, then times I swim in meets officiated according to the USMS rule will count. If FINA does not accept USMS's interpretation as OK, then my times will not count in FINA's eyes no matter what I personally do, because there will be no way to demonstrate after the fact that I did (or did not) comply with FINA's rule.
The bottom line to me, then, is that I may as well wear whatever is consistent with my own personal goals. Those goals include not being DQ'd, so I will wear whatever USMS says is OK. But even if FINA's standard turns out to be more restrictive than USMS's, going above and beyond USMS's standard to meet FINA's more restrictive standard is not going to make any difference at all to whether or not my swim shows up in the 2009 FINA TT.
