Some Aging Competitors Call High-Tech Swimsuits Dirty Pool
Former Member
Wall Street Journal article: online.wsj.com/.../SB125721159786824325.html
Michael Mann of Centennial, Colo., flew past his opponents, swaddled shoulder-to-ankle in a black neoprene bodysuit. Mr. Mann, 55, won the 400-meter individual medley race and set a world record for his age group, 55 to 59. Mr. Mann set new world marks in the 200-, 400- and 800-meter freestyle while Mr. Evans steamed.
Why should the change in suits be any different from the other changes?
All of these other things affect everyone equally. However, not everyone can get the latest and greatest suit. And before you disagree, just look at the World Championships in Rome where the greatest swimmer in the world was contractually obligated to wear an inferior suit.
Maybe at some point in the future things would have settled down and this wouldn't have been an issue but there would still be the "it's because of the suit" argument. So why not just take the suit out of the equation? Let the fastest swimmer win. That, too me, is the most compelling argument.
Why should the change in suits be any different from the other changes?
All of these other things affect everyone equally. However, not everyone can get the latest and greatest suit. And before you disagree, just look at the World Championships in Rome where the greatest swimmer in the world was contractually obligated to wear an inferior suit.
Maybe at some point in the future things would have settled down and this wouldn't have been an issue but there would still be the "it's because of the suit" argument. So why not just take the suit out of the equation? Let the fastest swimmer win. That, too me, is the most compelling argument.
