If the full body rubber suits do end up getting banned, why should USMS follow their lead on this issue? (i.e. assuming the suits would continue to be manufactured).
Isn't Masters mostly for each individual to pursue what they want and the level they want out of the sport?
If the full body suit is preferred by many USMS participants, why not satisfy the base by keeping it available?
What's really the point of forcing old USMS swimmers out of their girdles if FINA bans them?
John Smith
I will continue to "whore" out my talents to relay teams that are the most fun to be with..... this means swimming with old friends.
Back to the topic Mr. Geek. What would happen if USMS had the guts to tell FINA to "pound sand" on this rubber suit issue?
John Smith
And what really cracks me up is you two idiots swimming on Rowdy's team this fall....talk about whores!! JS, do you an extra Mark Spitz Stars & Stripes Speedo you can loan your little buddy?
Even more important is will Geekster pony up the $100 entry/winner take all "retro" 50 back event you're organizing?
"retro" = comy goggles, toes over the edge start, no SDK and John Naber "bucket turns"?
Yes, USMS should follow suit .
USMS should follow what is the best interest of it's membership, not FINA. If the majority want to follow FINA rules(whatever they are that day) fine. If the majority would like for USMS to allow tech suits, then that is what should be done.
Geek,
I give you "A" for effort and "F" for reality. If player safety was tantamount in the MBA, Andro and steroid testing would have put the game on"hold" years ago.
The reason aluminum bats are outlawed in professional baseball is you can't hide them. It's a blatant use of technology to artificially enhance performance.
USMS should follow FINA's rulings on suits and PEDs.
If not, when told of a swim time, my first question will be, "What suit did you wear and who gave you your injection?"
Tech suits are a bane to swimming legitimacy.
I am for whatever keeps the suit controversy the primary topic for new threads. It would absolutely SUCK if we started using the swimming forums to discuss swimming again.
Go with FINA's rules, assuming that they ever actually get around to defining any that last more than 5 minutes.
Just a thought experiment: Suppose that USMS goes its own way and allows tech suits while FINA/USS does not. Suppose MASTER swimmer X swims a time in a USMS certified/sanctioned meet that qualifies her for a race (USS nationals, trials, whatever) that is held under FINA rules. Furthermore, X was in a FINA-LEGAL suit. Question: Has X qualified for the FINA rules meet?
On the face of it, the answer seems to be "yes." However:
1) Will there be a mechanism in place to certify that X was in a FINA legal suit?
2) Given that there is a mechanism, what burden does this place on the meet directors?
3) Suppose that in X's heat, some of the competitors were wearing FINA-ILLEGAL suits. Does this potentially constitute an illegal pacing situation. e.g. If someone jogs next to a racewalker, that is illegal pacing since they are not conforming to racewalking rules.
Finally, and not related to the above: If FINA/USS bans tech suits and masters does not, will this be a large enough base for suit manufacturers to continue making tech suits?
-LBJ
Finally, and not related to the above: If FINA/USS bans tech suits and masters does not, will this be a large enough base for suit manufacturers to continue making tech suits?
-LBJ
Leonard,
my personal observation is that USMS members were WELL ahead of the rest of swimming in the use of the faster suits. I first used the Aquablade and Victor in the summer of 1999, when almost no one at the college or high school level was using them in meets that I attended. I can remember talking to one college swim coach who told me that there were no real advantages in terms of physically measurable quantities but that everything was purely psychological. He saw no reason to try to fool his swimmers into using an uncomfortable suit.
So, the answer to your question above, form my experience, is that at least one manufacturer (Victor = Jerry Greenberg) was willing to start production for the master's community. I don't know what Speedo's motivation was.
USMS should follow FINA's lead and change the rules every few days.
I agree with Mr. Positive above that we should ignore FINA, even though Mr. Positive is probably poking fun at us again.
Truth be told "meldyck", I would love to erase the full body rubber suit chapter entirely from the history of the sport. I started swimming again after my surgery about 3 weeks ago. I plan on showing up in my first masters meet in November in either a classic small speedo suit or jammers from now on. I've had enough. I tried a rubber suit in Austin in 2008 when they were new (for curiosity and a joke against Mr. Killeen). The technical advantages are quite obvious. I will always be of the same opinion there is a reason aluminum bats are not allowed in professional baseball. But I really don't care if other people wear one in the lane next to me. It's just masters swimming. Handicaps are fine and just not an issue.
But getting back to my questions....... what are the rammifications of ignoring FINA on this issue? Other than refusing to allow World records set in the rubber suits, what can they do to force USMS to comply or otherwise retaliate?
I wonder if other country's masters swimmers want to leave them as an option or not.
John Smith
