What should USMS do about the suits?

That was my initial reaction as well. The "compromise" seems most designed so guys don't have to shave their chests. The zipper? Hmm ... Ice heard more people interested in bodysuits than zippers ... Chris, so option 1 and 2 presuppose a ban, though you have couched it as a "swimwear rule"? Sounds like that's where people think FINA is going despite its prior statements? Option 3, tellingly the last one, is the only one that contemplates that FINA won't ban tech suits. The so-called "purists" seem to engage in indignation and denunciation of us tech suit fans and the horrific state of the sport so it doesn't surprise me that they were more vociferous at convention. I don't know that they were more vociferous, just more numerous. Having heard and read both sides, I think there is plenty of indignation to go around. If there is no FINA swimsuit regulation, then nothing will happen this SCY season based on all the options presented. The three options are trying to deal with the question of what to do with the SCY season -- already in progress -- if FINA decides to regulate the suits for masters, given that their rules are only intended for meters. And I guess I don't really see it as a complete "ban" when, even if FINA adopts the USMS suggestion, I can wear a suit that was first invented something like two years ago and was supposedly the best thing since sliced bread...until the LZR came around. You once liked FS-Pros pretty much too, and fairly recently; now they are just one step up from drag suits? I did forget to mention that the Coach's committee in their report made a statement that they think USMS should follow whatever FINA says. If the suit regulations for USMS are going to differ from those of FINA/USA Swimming, why bother with a "compromise"? Allow us to continue to wear what we have been wearing (and using to set personal bests, top ten times, national and world records). So if FINA agrees: you get body coverage, zippers, only have to shave your calves, get to wear material that was cutting edge two years ago...and that's not enough? Even though you disagree, is it really so hard to understand that there are a lot of people who would prefer for USMS to follow the rules FINA issued for elites? How exactly would it be fair to them to say "anything goes" just because the Rules Committee is trying to strike a middle ground? Heck, just look at the results of this poll: almost 40% want to follow the most stringent rules (FINA & USA-S), and a plurality want to do whatever the FINA masters committee decides. Only 25% want "anything goes." Just like SCAQ Triathlete will pout and refuse to compete with any kind of regulation, there are some who don't want to compete in nationals right now because of the suits. One is not any more right than the other. You might not like the compromise but things could be much worse from your point of view (and who knows what FINA will decide to do). I'm also curious why you techies weren't all up in arms about the ban on the double suits some time back. Or did that somehow cross some line that I'm unaware of?

That was my initial reaction as well. The "compromise" seems most designed so guys don't have to shave their chests. The zipper? Hmm ... Ice heard more people interested in bodysuits than zippers ... Chris, so option 1 and 2 presuppose a ban, though you have couched it as a "swimwear rule"? Sounds like that's where people think FINA is going despite its prior statements? Option 3, tellingly the last one, is the only one that contemplates that FINA won't ban tech suits. The so-called "purists" seem to engage in indignation and denunciation of us tech suit fans and the horrific state of the sport so it doesn't surprise me that they were more vociferous at convention. I don't know that they were more vociferous, just more numerous. Having heard and read both sides, I think there is plenty of indignation to go around. If there is no FINA swimsuit regulation, then nothing will happen this SCY season based on all the options presented. The three options are trying to deal with the question of what to do with the SCY season -- already in progress -- if FINA decides to regulate the suits for masters, given that their rules are only intended for meters. And I guess I don't really see it as a complete "ban" when, even if FINA adopts the USMS suggestion, I can wear a suit that was first invented something like two years ago and was supposedly the best thing since sliced bread...until the LZR came around. You once liked FS-Pros pretty much too, and fairly recently; now they are just one step up from drag suits? I did forget to mention that the Coach's committee in their report made a statement that they think USMS should follow whatever FINA says. If the suit regulations for USMS are going to differ from those of FINA/USA Swimming, why bother with a "compromise"? Allow us to continue to wear what we have been wearing (and using to set personal bests, top ten times, national and world records). So if FINA agrees: you get body coverage, zippers, only have to shave your calves, get to wear material that was cutting edge two years ago...and that's not enough? Even though you disagree, is it really so hard to understand that there are a lot of people who would prefer for USMS to follow the rules FINA issued for elites? How exactly would it be fair to them to say "anything goes" just because the Rules Committee is trying to strike a middle ground? Heck, just look at the results of this poll: almost 40% want to follow the most stringent rules (FINA & USA-S), and a plurality want to do whatever the FINA masters committee decides. Only 25% want "anything goes." Just like SCAQ Triathlete will pout and refuse to compete with any kind of regulation, there are some who don't want to compete in nationals right now because of the suits. One is not any more right than the other. You might not like the compromise but things could be much worse from your point of view (and who knows what FINA will decide to do). I'm also curious why you techies weren't all up in arms about the ban on the double suits some time back. Or did that somehow cross some line that I'm unaware of?