Craig Lord's rather inflammatory article www.swimnews.com/.../6918 on the possibility that USMS will depart from FINA vis a vis allowed swim suits raises a fundamental issue:
If masters swimming allows a more lenient policy regarding suit technology than FINA swimming, will this help or hurt our status in the swimming world?
I love the high tech suits, and I think FINA has been boneheaded in many ways, but I personally think that the creation of a two-tier system--regular swimming and masters "handicapped" swimming--would be bad for our sport and only marginalize us in the world of athletics.
If the choice comes down to two options--abide by FINA's suit rulings OR permit suits like the B70 for masters (if it is outlawed by FINA for "real" swimmers), which side would you support?
So do you also believe that all winners at nationals should be drug tested?
If it weren't cost-prohibitive/impractical, sure.
Just curious as to why? I sort of like having two different options to choose from. When I'm in my *boot camp, hard core* years, I do USS. When I opt for a more relaxed option, it's USMS.
I don't see USS as any more "hard core" than USMS. I just don't think it should be such a pain to get times transferred between the two. It isn't like they are different sports (or they shouldn't be).
So do you also believe that all winners at nationals should be drug tested?
If it weren't cost-prohibitive/impractical, sure.
Just curious as to why? I sort of like having two different options to choose from. When I'm in my *boot camp, hard core* years, I do USS. When I opt for a more relaxed option, it's USMS.
I don't see USS as any more "hard core" than USMS. I just don't think it should be such a pain to get times transferred between the two. It isn't like they are different sports (or they shouldn't be).
