What will Master's do about this?
PRESS RELEASE
N°58/2009
FINA BUREAU MEETING
Rome (ITA) - July 28, 2009
Rome (ITA), July 28, 2009 – On its first meeting held today in Rome (ITA), the 2009-2013 FINA Bureau fully complied with the decision of the FINA Congress, held on July 24, 2009 related with the procedure concerning swimwear approval. As it was also decided by the Congress, these rules are now By-Laws rules, which allow the Bureau to further control, update and correct any deviation to the process or to proceed with any necessary adjustment related to the development of the swimsuit technology.
The FINA Bureau decisions on swimsuits include:
MATERIAL – The material of the swimsuits will definitively be constituted only by textile fabric(s). The definition of “textile” will be made by a group of scientific experts chosen by FINA and led by Prof. Jan-Anders Manson, from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) in Lausanne (SUI). This definition will be available to manufacturers by no later than September 30, 2009. The first definition of “textile” to be further confirmed by this group is: “Material consisting of, natural and/or synthetic, individual and non consolidated yarns used to constitute a fabric by weaving, knitting, and/or braiding.”
SHAPE – For men, the swimsuit shall not extend above the navel nor below the knee, and for women, shall not cover the neck, extend past the shoulder, nor extend below knee. Furthermore, no zippers or other fastening system is allowed.
USE – In the regulation approved by the Congress, the swimmer can only wear one swimsuit and no taping is allowed.
TESTS – Only measurable scientific tests will be performed within the frame of the swimwear approval procedure. For thickness, the 1mm limit will be adjusted to 0.8mm, for buoyancy the present value of 1 Newton will be reduced to 0.5 (FINA will even consider the limit of 0 Newton), and for permeability the material(s) used must have at any point a value of more than 80l/m2/second. Permeability values are measured on material with a standard multidirectional stretch of 25%. These parameters will be further considered by the above mentioned scientific group.
CONSISTENCY – Swimsuits effectively manufactured and used shall correspond to and be fully consistent with submitted samples. Any modification before use (including impregnation) is prohibited. Moreover, there shall be no variation/modification for individual swimmers.
APPLICATION – Considering the time needed for manufacturers to produce their swimsuits, the submission dates and the implementation of the rules are applicable from 2010 only in Swimming competitions.
In addition to these decisions, the FINA Bureau also approved the new FINA Committees and Commissions for the period 2009-2013.
Finally, it was also established that the Diving Qualification event for the 1st Youth Olympic Games (August 2010 in Singapore) will be held in Mexico City (MEX), in April 2010.
FINA Communications Department • Tel.: (41-21) 310 4710 • Fax: (41-21) 312 6610 • www.fina.org
Former Member
You have a valid point. At the same time isn't it possible that the wide-spread use of these high tech suits inhibits other masters swimmers from competing? They may feel, for whatever reason, that the tech suit is not for them and that they are at a disadvantage without one. I personally know of two people who feel this way.
BTW, I personally love to compete in the tech suits but I'm in favor of masters following FINA. I will suffer for my sport and endure the dreaded shaving down.
Rich
Rich, you as well have a valid point. Personally, if they want to rid the sport of non-permeable suits of the polyuerthane(sp?) brand, no arguement from me. Yes, I have one and have swam in it. Wasn't that crazy about it either.
Those are the bodysuits that have really driven the prices up, to make it more difficult for people to purchase one or justify purchasing one.
I do believe the companies can make a permeable, affordable suit if they choose too.
If USMS does decide to follow FINA's ruling on suits, while I won't be thrilled having to swim in jammers, I will do so because I want to compete.
But I do understand your point of view on the suits as well. Thanks for understanding.
That does make sense. The real benefit for some is that the suits carved away unwanted pounds not necessarily time.
That said I've never once seen any masters swimmer catch any grief for wearing a Speedo. with the exception of the infamous Speedo man.
It seems to me that if FINA says the suit rules don't apply to Masters then USMS should follow that,otherwise we are at a competitive disadvantage to the rest of the world. If FINA says they do,then any of us interested in FINA TT or WRs had better hope that USMS follows suit for LCM and SCM.It is in SCY(which is the most important venue for most USMS swimmers) where there is some flexibility.I think that in the interest of fairness USMS should not implement the rules for SCY before 5/31/10 as there will be SCY meets this fall which will count in the 09/10 SCY season.
USMS will follow suit, otherwise elite Masters' performances at USMS sanctioned meets become less relevant on the World stage, unless USMS implements a suit testing policy at each event.
I do have a question about the "no fastening device" ruling... would that include the tie string in men's briefs?
I DON'T want to see old people in Speedo's!
I DON'T want to see me in a Speedo!
Speedo's should be banned! (at least for Master's)
Then you should enjoy reading this.
forums.usms.org/blog.php
To me, forcing masters swimmers to swim in briefs is good encouragement to get in shape. Natural body shaping should be a part of swimming and encouraged for a healthy lifestyle.
Doesn't this make sense?
No, it doesn't make sense. Why should someone be forced to wear a brief. People are NOT forced to wear tech suits, so why should be ok the other way.
People should be allowed to wear the suits they are most comfortable in, provided they aren't actual wetsuits but suits that have been at least approved in 2009 and before.
Do these people wear their full body suits to all practices too? Maybe they wear tee-shirts or surfing shirts? This must be a very small group of people indeed. Not sure they should be driving the decision (or even really factoring into it in any significant way)...
Again, it maybe laughable to you but not to people that have been down this path . No one group should be the deciding factor but every group should definitly have input in the decision.
according to Swedish Masters Swimming chairman there are not two set of rules.
so unless FINA makes expections to the rules for Masters swimming, I would assume that Worlds in Aug 2010 will be swum with the same FINA rules regarding suits.
That's not entirely true. Back in May when the first ruling on suits came out, a member of the FINA bureau said the suit rulings didn't apply to masters.
USMS and other masters organizations are probably waiting until they hear something official from FINA about how the rulings apply to masters before making anything public.
The NCAA doesn't have to follow FINA guidelines if it doesn't want to about suits but it will since USA swimming is following the suit rules, so that swimmers at college meets could be given credit for U.S. Open and/or American records that maybe achieved during NCAA meets.
People are forced to wear tech suits,Not really. Maybe to be competitive, people feel more pressure into buying one?
There are plenty of masters swimmers who refuse to plunk down several hundred dollars on a suit that lasts maybe one season.
No one is forced into needless spending.
I think what he's saying is that it's good motivation for an adult athlete to start looking a bit more fit instead of relying on the suit as a cover up rather than a time saver.
At the end of the day if someone is more inclined to swim and compete because they have a full suit for modesty reasons, that's great.
