The Swimming Can Stay, the Suits May Have to Go.
FINA, the governing body for international competitive swimming, voted last week to ban the full-body polyurethane suits that made a big splash in the 2008 Summer Olympic games. The world intently watched Michael Phelps wind up with his distinctive arm flail stretch—donning a suit that hugged his body from neck to toe—go on to win a record-breaking 8 Olympic gold medals at Beijing’s Water Cube last August. And though his Speedo-brand suit was made partly of polyurethane, using a technology developed by NASA, full polyurethane suits have also emerged and have been attributed to shaving off precious milliseconds from swim times.
It’s all been enough to raise FINA’s eyebrows.
And what does swimming’s wonder boy have to say about the possible change? “A swimsuit is a swimsuit”, Phelps said in a statement, “I think it’s going to be good.”
We’ll find out how the FINA Bureau weighs in when they make their full decision on July 28th.
Related Resources:
- Revolutionary swimsuits sunk by 2010 ban (AFP)
- FINA bans bodysuits that have led to spate of world records (Los Angeles Times)
- Textile Suits And Trunks Poised to Return: FINA (Reuters)
- Speedo not happy with FINA ruling on suits (AP)
- Swimming Records Made To Never Be Broken (Deadspin)
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