The following has appeared on a swim forum in the UK
_______________________________________________
I’ve been looking at recent masters results. It’s clear that swimmers are producing much slower times without bodysuits. Furthermore, many swimmers are disillusioned and are on the verge of giving up completely. It would be a travesty if these swimmers (they are mostly the over 45s) were lost to the sport altogether.
The majority of masters swimmers prefer to compete in bodysuits. Of that there is no doubt, as witnessed at masters meets up and down the country. It is a disgrace that masters swimmers have been included in the ‘new rules’ concerning elite swimming. I find it quite sad that many swimmers are talking about cutting up their suits, taking out zips and even asking whether they are allowed ‘modesty panels’ in their suits any more.
As always, we are getting no advice, guidance or even leadership from the toothless Masters Committee, whose gingivitic and malocclusive tendencies are attracting Big Nev’s interest, but that’s to be expected.
But it doesn’t have to be like this. Masters swimmers in Italy are not accepting this farce. They are still holding meets where swimmers can choose to wear bodysuits.
There was a recent questionnaire sent out to 4,000 masters swimmers in France. 2,700 swimmers replied, stating they wished to keep their bodysuits for competition.
Masters swimmers in Germany are on the verge of revolution! They accept that masters swimmers are not going to be a threat to any Olympian’s records. Many have now entered masters meets in Italy where they can wear their suits if they want. Also, some meet organisers in Germany are holding similar meets.
Instead of following any directive from our anaemic and tedious Masters Committee, I’d like to see masters swimmers in the UK make a stand against the stupidity surrounding the banning of bodysuits. It will cost me time and money but I’m prepared to organise this.
We need meet organisers in the UK to hold ‘optional suit’ masters meets. Swimmers can choose whether to wear a suit or not. If they are going for a record then the suitless option is a must - but only for a while. I believe that if we boycott masters meets where suits are now allowed, meet organisers, the Masters Committee and the ASA would have to take notice. At the moment they don’t give a toss. At the forefront of the ASA’s mind would be the loss of revenue. Believe me, they see masters swimming as a joke anyway, they would happily let masters swim in bodysuits if it meant they could keep the revenue pouring in.
Getting meet organisers to run ‘bodysuit’ meets would be easy. They would be oversubscribed, every time. Not only from our swimmers but from overseas entries too. I can see one-day meets turning into weekend ones. The organisers could make a lot of money from these well-attended meets. Pulling the plug on masters meets because of low entries would be a thing of the past.
These meets would be the thin end of the wedge in bringing about a change of rules. It‘s the boycotting of ‘non-suit’ meets that would bring a change of rule overnight.
The decathlon would be meaningless because ‘suited’ swims wouldn’t count towards it - but in reality, it is a meaningless competition anyway for all but ten swimmers in the UK who have a chance of winning it.
Don’t underestimate what can be done. Masters swimmers are a powerful group in swimming. The Government is putting very large amounts of money into the greasy hand of the ASA to promote health and fitness for adults. The ASA wouldn’t like the kind of publicity we can give them.
If you feel you can support this initiative I’ll make a start. Masters swimmers in Italy, France and Germany are ready to come on board. Many masters swimmers in America are also willing to make a stand against their governing body. Naturally, support from suit manufacturers is there already. I’ve spoken to four of the biggest.
Perhaps those people are simply not cut out for sport.
Just to clarify, b/c I don't want to put words in your mouth: people who are put off by the idea of having to by a tech suit (or intimidated by fast swimming in general) aren't welcome in USMS?
I think competitive swimming is much more intimidating to the average person than cycling. My wife joined a club called "tri-moms" that was a females-only triathlon club for newbies (despite the name, you weren't required to be a mother to join, though the idea was originally to try to lure women back into serious training who had been out of it for awhile).
Anyway, they had a series of coaches, lectures, tutorials and training sessions for all three sports, and for the transitions and other logistics of doing triathlons. And of course group training. It was (and is) a well-done program. (I know of some people who have graduated to doing full IM triathlons from those beginnings.)
My wife reports that BY FAR the most intimidating aspect of the whole thing for newbies was the swim. It wasn't even close. This is despite the fact that they targeted sprint triathlons and that the swim leg was something like 300 yards for most of those races.
Perhaps those people are simply not cut out for sport.
Just to clarify, b/c I don't want to put words in your mouth: people who are put off by the idea of having to by a tech suit (or intimidated by fast swimming in general) aren't welcome in USMS?
I think competitive swimming is much more intimidating to the average person than cycling. My wife joined a club called "tri-moms" that was a females-only triathlon club for newbies (despite the name, you weren't required to be a mother to join, though the idea was originally to try to lure women back into serious training who had been out of it for awhile).
Anyway, they had a series of coaches, lectures, tutorials and training sessions for all three sports, and for the transitions and other logistics of doing triathlons. And of course group training. It was (and is) a well-done program. (I know of some people who have graduated to doing full IM triathlons from those beginnings.)
My wife reports that BY FAR the most intimidating aspect of the whole thing for newbies was the swim. It wasn't even close. This is despite the fact that they targeted sprint triathlons and that the swim leg was something like 300 yards for most of those races.
