Sports Technology

Swimming's international controlling body FINA has confirmed a ban on bodysuits from next year and said it would also be introducing strict textile restrictions.

Newly-elected FINA President Julio Maglione told a press conference during the 13th FINA World Championships currently being held in Rome that, "we respect the decision that the FINA congress took on 24th July."

The 24th July FINA Congress voted to severely restrict the amount of coverage a swimsuit can provide, as well as banned non-textile suits. The USA Swimming proposal to limit swimsuit coverage to "between the waist and knees for males, not beyond the shoulders or below the knees for females" was passed by an overwhelming margin.

Additionally, the new rule stated that only textile-based fabric can be used in suit manufacturing.

Performance-enhancing high technology body suits with polyurethane panels or made entirely out of the material, have led to a flood of world records in recent times and FINA is attempting to return to the time when the emphasis was more on the swimmer than on the suits that they were wearing.

However, while the start date for the changes was initially to be from 1st January 2010, it has now been put back to later in the year, FINA Executive Director Cornel Marculescu explaining that "the rules will be applied in 2010, that can be April or May, it depends on the time manufacturers need to pass from polyurethane to textiles."

Upset by the uncertainty surrounding the application of the new rule, Michael Phelps's coach Bob Bowman told reporters that he would recommend his protege not race internationally until FINA made good on all the changes.

During the World Championships, Phelps has lost his world title and world record in the 200 metres freestyle to the previously unheralded Paul Biedermann of Germany. Biedermann, who wears an Arena suit, had earlier bettered Ian Thorpe's eight-year-old world record in the 400 metres freestyle.

The uncertain starting date also has implications for Australian swimming, which is set to hold selection trials in March to pick a team for the Pan Pacific Championships. What swimmers will wear at these trials remains to be seen, Swimming Australia Head Coach Alan Thompson telling the Sydney Morning Herald "FINA's rules are for Olympics and world championships and the federations have the opportunity to do whatever they like really", adding "maybe we'll look at starting the rule a little bit earlier in Australia."

Speedo's Lazer Racer Suit was introduced to the Australasian leisure industry in the article A Faster Skin in the May/June 2008 issue of Australasian Leisure Management.

6th April 2009 - NEW FINA RULES FOR ROME WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

6th March 2009 - FINA CLARIFIES SWIM SUIT REGULATIONS

27th November 2008 - SWIMMERS DOMINATE SPORTS PERFORMER AWARDS

31st October 2008 - BAN FOR ‘HIGH TECH’ SWIM SUITS?

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