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
A thought just crossed my mind that maybe FINA should hire an independent consultant to decide on what the rules regarding suits should be. They've already hired an independent lab to do the testing, why not do the same thing for defining the actual rules?
At first I thought this idea was crazy. How could someone who knows nothing about swimming decide on what should be legal or illegal in a swimsuit? Now I think maybe that's the only party that could do this in an unbiased manner.
Look at the current state of affairs. Lots of people have pointed the finger at FINA for bias in writing the rules and deciding what suits should be on the approved list, but now we're seeing bias from other federations, too. The Italians will allow the Jaked suit at their trials. Do you think they would if Jaked was not an Italian company? Same thing in Japan. The Japanese kid Irie set a world record in an unapproved suit. Now they're miffed at Fina's ruling. How about USMS? I'm sure those on the EC had all the best intentions, but they are also affected by FINA's ruling. I'm sure many of them own suits that didn't make FINA's cut. I just don't think you can be impartial on something that affects you so much.
I really think that only an entity entirely divorced from the sport can have any chance of making an unbiased proposal on what should be and should not be allowed in swimsuit designs.
A thought just crossed my mind that maybe FINA should hire an independent consultant to decide on what the rules regarding suits should be. They've already hired an independent lab to do the testing, why not do the same thing for defining the actual rules?
At first I thought this idea was crazy. How could someone who knows nothing about swimming decide on what should be legal or illegal in a swimsuit? Now I think maybe that's the only party that could do this in an unbiased manner.
Look at the current state of affairs. Lots of people have pointed the finger at FINA for bias in writing the rules and deciding what suits should be on the approved list, but now we're seeing bias from other federations, too. The Italians will allow the Jaked suit at their trials. Do you think they would if Jaked was not an Italian company? Same thing in Japan. The Japanese kid Irie set a world record in an unapproved suit. Now they're miffed at Fina's ruling. How about USMS? I'm sure those on the EC had all the best intentions, but they are also affected by FINA's ruling. I'm sure many of them own suits that didn't make FINA's cut. I just don't think you can be impartial on something that affects you so much.
I really think that only an entity entirely divorced from the sport can have any chance of making an unbiased proposal on what should be and should not be allowed in swimsuit designs.
