FINA says Dubai Charter doesn't apply to Masters

Once the 2010 rules are finalized, I can't imagine many masters swimmers will still want new suits that don't comply with those rules. I think most of us take ourselves seriously enough not to want a distinction between what we are allowed to wear and what the other competitive organizations are allowed to wear. I'm glad I get to keep using my current suit for the rest of the year, and look forward to getting a FINA compliant suit this winter.

Well, eventually the Dubai charter will affect masters. I seriously doubt the suit makers(maybe B70 is the exception) will keep making the current style suits that are on the retest/rejected list exclusively for masters. Once the jan 1., 2010 rules apply, they won't make special suits just for us. So, as our current suits get worn out, ripped up, etc, we will eventually have to purchase suits that fall into accordance with the Dubai Charter.

Old, fat people with disposable incomes, desperate to recapture glory days...sounds like a winner! I resemble that remark! My disposable income has taken a serious hit...

If you take into account masters swimming all over the WORLD, then maybe they will keep making tech suits for masters. But do if you were running a swimsuit company(say TYR) would you want to keep developing a "tech suit" line for the masters group? Or focus that energy into developing the fastest swimwear possible, under the given rules, for all segments?

But, seriously, folks how can a FINA commissioner say the Charter on suits doesn't apply to master's but the organization then be hesitant about accepting master's records? This organization has put all four feet into its mouth. Yes, an ass does have four feet...

Whether the charter applies to USMS or not, I would prefer that our organization observed the same rules for suits as USA Swimming.

I am curious about the relative sizes of the USAS and USMS markets. Everyone is assuming that the masters market is tiny in comparison...but I tell you, when I go to just run-of-the-mill meets, tech suits are MUCH more in evidence at masters meets than at age-group meets. Obviously there are far more age-groupers than masters, but I wonder if the masters market is really as small as people are assuming. Old, fat people with disposable incomes, desperate to recapture glory days...sounds like a winner! :) I too would love to look at the revenue stream for tech suits. Would it be possible to estimate numbers based on the number of masters swimmers and the % who compete. And then you could guesstimate what percentage of the competitors use tech suits regularly. Do the same thing for USA-S. . . Chris, I love your last statement. I so agree and I am so one of those people!

If the charter doesn't apply to masters, then maybe USMS will take the stance that all suits that were approved prior to Jan. 1, 2009 will be allowed in USMS events and any new suits that are developed must comply with FINA's new suit regulations. This way, current suit will still be able to be used until they are worn out and any new suit developed will be in accordance with the new guidelines. This will take sometime, but eventually USMS would fall back inline with FINA. Plus, it allows people the chance to use their current suits, and not have that much confusion on approved/not approved suits.

Because they are all perfectly valid records. They were sets under the rules for competition at that time. There are rules changes in swimming constantly and I don't think an 'asterisk' has ever been used before. The home run record set by Roger Maris was designated by an asterisk for many years. Maris hit 61* in a 162 game season, Ruth hit 60 in a 154 game season. If the new flotation suits give swimmers such an advantage that FINA has to ban them in the middle of the season, then maybe FINA should think about designating the WR's swum in them (which I agree are valid) with an asterisk. What's wrong with having two sets of WR's? Some of the 160 plus WR's swum in flotation suits, will probably not be broken for decades, when we go back to regular tech suits. That won't be good for the sport. It does sound a bit drastic, but I think it is the only fair solution to a bad situation that was thrust upon us.

What's wrong with delineating those WR's with an asterisk? Because they are all perfectly valid records. They were sets under the rules for competition at that time. There are rules changes in swimming constantly and I don't think an 'asterisk' has ever been used before.