2010: What To Do With the World Records

Records made under the conditions and rules in place at a particular point in time are historical records. Asterisks, notes, or whatever alongside those legally swum records are meaningless. They are self-serving tools that allow people to attempt to justify why their own names are not in the books. We should all get on with being the best swimmer we can be within the confines of the sporting rules to which we must submit, while we learn from the mistakes of history and try to prevent them from being repeated.

Records made under the conditions and rules in place at a particular point in time are historical records. Asterisks, notes, or whatever alongside those legally swum records are meaningless. They are self-serving tools that allow people to attempt to justify why their own names are not in the books. We should all get on with being the best swimmer we can be within the confines of the sporting rules to which we must submit, while we learn from the mistakes of history and try to prevent them from being repeated. Agreed.Biederman's breaking Thorpe's record by .01 sec in a tech suit doesn't make him a better swimmer,but it is still the fastest anyone swam under legal conditions.

Have a seperate pro-modified class opened to anyone wants to have a chance at tech suit era records

Records are records. Let them stand. If someone wishes to beat a time in an unauthorized suit I say, "Go man go". It just won't count. If it's legal do it. Of course that doesn't apply to bankers, brokers, lawyers, and friends.

start over

Maybe there should be plethora of new world records: pre/post goggles pre/post modern backstroke turn pre/post limit on sdk in backstroke pre/post dolphin kick on breaststroke pre/post tech suits or any combination thereof. FINA could go back and establish a number of current record holders from days gone by when changes in stroke or technology changed the sport. Events could then be held where a swimmer could declare his/her intention to be governed by one or more of the old rules and set a new world record in the “no goggle, unlimited backstroke sdk, pre tech suit 400IM.” By the way – don’t cut off those tech suits yet, there is still the Blue Seventy Texas Shootout at the Republic of Texas World Championship to compete in – regardless of what those FINA guys come up with. www.damswim.com/meets.htm

What to do with the REAL WORLD RECORDS? start over, go back as far as necessary to records that were set by swimmers wearing suits that would be legal according to current rules NO WAY. You want to erase Thorpe's records? Hackett's (the only one still standing after the 'tech suit era' I believe was set in a bodysuit) The current world records are the REAL WORLD RECORDS. That is so much bulls#!$ to say that they aren't. The records were established under the rules governing the sport at that time. Is there any other sport that has gone back in time to change their record books just because the current rulers don't like how the records were established? The records should stay. Legally set. Legally swam. Legal competitions. Legal drug testing that was passed. What a crock to want to set our sport back in time. RIGHT ON! I'm starting a write-in campaign for "Wookie for FINA President!"

What to do with the REAL WORLD RECORDS? start over, go back as far as necessary to records that were set by swimmers wearing suits that would be legal according to current rules. I have to say this has to be the crack talking. So, anytime a sport changes equipment rules we have to go back to records set with the new updated equipment rules? The records were set in legal suits, move on and get over it. You can't retrofit a sport because you don't like the outcome(s) of your inaction. I personally think all the squawking and whining about this topic does more damage to the records and the sport than any suit ever did. Acknowledge the feat, set the rules, dry the tears and swim on.

Records are going to stay right where they are now according to the FINA Bureau that is meeting in Bangkok, Thailand. Soon we should hear about the fate of the tech suits for masters swimming around the world. www.swimnews.com/.../7402

Acknowledge the feat, set the rules, dry the tears and swim on. And eventually, break all the tech-suit records. It's not like record progression is going to stop now that the suits are banned.