FINA officially declare themselves retarded

[El Toro]

Taking over the top spot with a spectacular performance, FINA bans high performance suits because it's about the athlete's hard training not the technology BUT keeps the old records set with the latest suit technology that has allowed dozens of WRs in the last year!!

Story

[tandfman]

I admit that I have not been following this closely, but what I don't understand is why a swimsuit should be banned if it is not indecent, is accessible to all, and does not cause any harm to the swimmer or anyone else.

[gh]

no more brain-dead than the IAAF for decisions like leaving the multi records intact after radically changing the javelin, or the vault after the incredible peg shrinkage.

[Marlow]

I don't understand is why a swimsuit should be banned

Plus, the suit does not make the athlete swim faster, just more hydrodynamically efficient. This is like banning spandex in track. I could understand if it made swimmers more buoyant, but that's not the case.

[Pego]

They are supposed to release details tomorrow.

[gh]

Buoyancy isn't the issue; it's the artificial reduction of drag that's at issue. This stuff is much slipperier than skin. And wearing "full body" suits can also change one's body configuration (for the better).

I've never thought an individual sport should be about who has the better engineer on his side.

[bhall]

Interview I heard indicated that the suits also aided the structural integrity (core) of the athlete. So weaker athletes were aided more by the suits.

[Pego]

Interview I heard indicated that the suits also aided the structural integrity (core) of the athlete. So weaker athletes were aided more by the suits.

Did they explain the "structural integrity"? What exactly does it do to the body that reduces the handicap? I can understand shaping of the body, but this term is new to me.

[dakota]

Is anybody watching these world championships this afternoon? World records left right and centre. In heats. In finals. On the first legs of relays. Completely ridiculous.

[Marlow]

I've never thought an individual sport should be about who has the better engineer on his side.

The Pole Vault, the Javelin and the Discus, all employ high-tech engineers. Not all implements are created equal. The key is that anyone can get the technology. In swimming, everyone can have the suit. Level playing field.

[lapsus]

Javelin results from 1991 were nullified, including Räty's 96.96. FINA should have done the same for the world records set with at least the latest round of bodysuits.

How long before the world records from last year will be broken? Will there be a bunch of unbreakable records from 2008 hanging over the sport for the foreseeable future?

Oh well. I hope that FINA at least won't be adopting beach volleyball-like coverage rules for the swimsuits :wink:

[bhall]

Structural integrity was my term/interpretation. 4:11 news piece/interview- http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... =106989036

[gh]

I've never thought an individual sport should be about who has the better engineer on his side.

The Pole Vault, the Javelin and the Discus, all employ high-tech engineers. Not all implements are created equal. The key is that anyone can get the technology. In swimming, everyone can have the suit. Level playing field.

At up to 500 bucks a suit (and they don't last long), no, everybody can't get the technology. It creates an unacceptable financial wedge.

[bhall]

The perception is that the suits aid lesser athletes more. Whether that is reality or not I don't know.

[dakota]

How long before the world records from last year will be broken? Will there be a bunch of unbreakable records from 2008 hanging over the sport for the foreseeable future?

Most of them got broken this afternoon. Or at least that's what it seemed like.