New swimsuit rules valid from January: FINA

ROME (Reuters) - The polyurethane swimsuits that have led to a deluge of world records will be banned from next January, swimming's governing body FINA said on Friday.

"The manufacturers are ready," FINA executive director Cornel Marculescu told a news conference. "Now without any doubt the new rules will apply from January 1 2010."

Last week FINA said the sport may revert to costumes made from textiles only from May but has now said it will move to the new regime in January after consulting manufacturers.

The move will please U.S. coach Bob Bowman, who threatened to pull Michael Phelps out of international competition because he was about the delay in implementing the new rules.

FINA originally said they would come into force in January before backtracking slightly and giving May as a possible date.

FINA had said records set in hi-tech suits would stand even though they may prove unbeatable in textile costumes. Marculescu added the word "probably" when asked about this on Friday.