posted Jul 28, 2009

Cheers Hurdler . I just wanted to be sure she wasn't a Rusedski spin off.

Great swim.

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posted Jul 28, 2009

well done Gemma, winning the 100 backstroke in a world record time (which prob doesn't mean much, but the win is brilliant)
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Why doesn't the record mean much? She had the suit disadvantage so it should withstand anything.

This whole situation is so pathetic, the WRs of the non textiles should be anulled, or at least have an asterisk next to them.

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posted Jul 28, 2009

Your article is biased. Your are gloating that the only way to defeat a real proven champion, albeit he doesn't seem to be in his same Olympic form, is to use suits that greatly ehnance performance, making you less tired and able to swim faster. Why not let everyone wear the same suit and FINA, who are they kidding April or May of 2010 making a ban. Cycling has zero tolerance, it should be the same for Swimming! The leadership of FINA seems pathetically weak!

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posted Jul 28, 2009

sorry Sparkle, my mistake, when I typed that bit about the WR not meaning very much, I didn't realise that she was swimming in a speedo. That just makes her performance all the more remarkable. So once again congrats to Gemma

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posted Jul 28, 2009

mc1703

"How does a swimmer in one winter training cycle improve that much?"

Alternatively, maybe Phelps has been on the pot? Ever thought of that?

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posted Jul 28, 2009

Just about disproved by how he was close to his Beijing time. Unfortunately for him, the second-generation polyurethane suits (and plenty of other extenuating factors in Biedermann's case, as outlined brilliantly by mc1703 earlier) have meant everything has changed.

It will be very, very interesting to see if Phelps has the advantage again in 2010 with only textile part-body suits allowed. I reckon he will, but Biedermann will push him.

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posted Jul 29, 2009

I eat my words giving Spofforth only a bronze. I got it very wrong and was very surprised.

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posted Jul 29, 2009

These suits have turned swimming into a total farce. There are undoubtedly some great performances but they are all being treated to the same cynicism. It's akin to the American drug cheats in the athletic sprint events. Even when there is a genuinely great performance it will be looked upon with scepticism.

The only way swimming can regain it's credibility is to annul all the records that have been achieved using these performance enhancing suits.

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posted Jul 29, 2009

FINA have allowed swimming to descend into farce. Their stance has been non-existant and they just haven't grasped the problem. I think that the governing body thought they could allow anyone to wear anything and no-one would notice, but the suits have so dramatically improved times so quickly that FINA look like numpties.

Frankly, FINA should have been liasing with the manufacturers more closely, so that they were in a position to outlaw these suits befor ethey were available, so that the integrity of the sport was retained. Now we have a situation where people are setting world records that won't stand for very long.

If suits are outlawed, the records set in them have to go also, which means Biederman will have to hand the record back to Thorpe. No-one will like this fiddling with the record books but it will have to happen.

Whilst the controversy has brought swimming a higher profile in this country, FINA have made the sport look stupid by taking so long over a decision. They should have outlawed Polyurethane suits before the olympics, and frankly, they probably should have outlawed full body suits years ago.

FINA are a joke.

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posted Jul 29, 2009

"Bob Bowman said he would tell eight-time Olympic champion Phelps "not to swim until the rules are implemented".

Phelps, whose dominance in the pool at the Beijing Oympics sparked an upsurge of interest in the sport, still wears a Speedo LZR suit, which is 50% polyurethane and has been superseded by a new generation of hi-tech bodysuits. "

Bob Bowman is just a big big big fool. When Phelps was winning Gold in Beijing with his swim suite he had no complaints. Now others have not just caught up but advanced, he now says Phelps should not compete again. What a farce!! I respect Phelps for saying that Biedermann won the races cos he had a better swim.
This whole farce about swim suites is just noncense, i look at football for example, can Fifa tell all footballers to wear the same football boots or jerseys, cand this also happen in basketball, can this haapen in tennis where the likes of Federer and nadal are forced to used the same racquet frame, sting, and string settings.
Fina can specify the shape of suits but cannot regulate on the type of material. If a swimmere wanys to use a suit made of gold or glass to swim, thats their business, or does fina want to go into the business of designing, producing & supplying swimming gear?? Would they be able to compete with present sport manufacturers...lets see!!!

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