Swimsuit manufacturers are not to blame for this debacle but they weren't innocent bystanders either and they now have the ability to begin the repair job.
Last week the FINA Congress (all the swimming nations) voted overwhelmingly to return to non-permeable, textile only suits by January 1, 2010.
It was also proposed that suits for men would be from waist to knee only and for women, shoulder to knee with an open back. While this decision was done hurriedly and without the proper consultation it is at least a step in the right direction.
Now the goons on the FINA Bureau have decided that the swimsuit manufacturers need until April or May to make enough suits for the swimming world under the new rules and specifications. Bollocks!
With less than a month's notice these companies were able to prepare enough "bubble" suits to rocket propel every swimmer at the World Championships so why on earth over the next five months wouldn't they be able to revert back to silhouettes they have used in the past and material similar or the same as they used pre-February 2008 ?
Granted the new suits will not cost as much as those produced in the last 16 months and yes that will effect profit margins but the future of swimming is on the line here.
I challenge all swimsuit manufacturers to stand up and say "we will ensure we have the 2010 version of approved suits ready on January 1". In the end they will profit anyway - swimming nude is still out of the question.
Who will be the first to truly show they care as much about the sport and those that participate, in the pool and out (their clients and future clients), and take the lead that FINA so horribly lost.
this sport is slicing itself up and for what? Does the general population care outside of every four years?
ReplyDeleteThe sport needs to make a decision and stick to it. There is more media coverage about the suits than there is about the althetes at the moment. It should not have gotten to this stage in the first place and there needs to be some serious questions asked about the leadership at FINA.
ReplyDeleteThe suit issue actually started in 1999 at the time creating vast inequity in the broader swimming ranks...but it took the technology to innovate to a point of gross disparity and inequity due to new materials(i.e. those top ranked/high profile who had and those that did not have or choose not too due to personal endorsements) for it to become a major issue in the sport. FINA could have set the framework for suit specifications (particularly the fabric and style of "cut") when they first popped up way back then. Instead, they sat back took the super sized suit pay cheque from the manufacturers for a decade (costing Mum's and Dad's a fortune)and the top ranked swimmers didn't ark up because it didn't affect them. They could access each new suit of a similar cut and relative performance standard hot off the rack. Now it does affect those high profile swimmers bound for the dias, and all and sundry are now complaining for the first time about it being so unfair. Was it unfair that in Sydney 2000, only sponsored athletes and wealthy swimming nations had access to the first generation suits? Was it fair that Thorpey wore an Adidas suit to win the 400 free in a world record (he and Perkins the only 2 at the meet to have acess to that model) or Grant Hackett a Speedo suit in the 1500 to grab the gold? What about 2004? And all the major Champs up to 2008? Since up until quite recently the majority have worn suits of some sort without a whisper of dissent and reaped the rewards?
ReplyDeleteI agree with the above on all fronts - this is not a new issue - it has only now reached a point that everyone is jumping up and down for the reasons you have stated and more.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great blog, I am a huge fan and watch everyday !!!!
ReplyDeleteCarol S
get pure and go back to sluggos
ReplyDelete