Suits row refuses to sink ahead of worlds

By Mark Meadows

MILAN (Reuters) - If swimming fans thought the row over revolutionary bodysuits was over, they can think again.

Top male swimmers are so frustrated by the controversy that they are even threatening to whip out their old trunks and trail in last if it means they keep their credibility.

Last month, swimming's world governing body FINA approved the new costumes after months of wrangling to try to create some clarity ahead of the Rome world championships, which start in three weeks.

Arguments over the suits, which have contributed to more than 100 world records in the past 18 months, have, however, intensified rather than died down since FINA's decision.

"It highlights the sport, these world records, but it's not good for the sport. It's become about the suit rather than the swimmer now," Britain's former multiple world-record holder Mark Foster told Reuters.

"These suits are going to help the not-so-good swimmers because they help them float better. But the better swimmers float better themselves, they've got a lot better technique and core stability.

"It's making the not-so-good swimmers better swimmers."

At the heart of the controversy are new suits which are covered with polyurethane to aid buoyancy. The old suits had only polyurethane plates.

SWIMMERS CONFUSED

The all-polyurethane Jaked 01, worn by Frederick Bousquet when he broke the 50 meters freestyle world record at the French championships in April, was left off a previous FINA list of approved costumes but featured in the latest update.

However, Alain Bernard's 100 meters freestyle record set at those championships, where he became the first man to crack the 47-second barrier with 46.94, has not been ratified because he was wearing an Arena suit which had not been approved.

The rulings have left swimmers confused.

World 100 freestyle champion Filippo Magnini almost made a stand at the Mediterranean Games in Pescara this week, where he finished second in the final behind Bernard.

"Right up to the last moment I thought about wearing just trunks in this final," the Italian told reporters.

"I didn't do it because of respect for the spectators. With trunks I would not have been competitive."