Olympics approves unfair advantages with LZR swimsuit

[dsg809]

In regards to the Newsweek article "Making a Splash" by Keith Naughton, which can be found at http://www.newsweek.com/id/142410


In "Making a Splash" Keith Naughton addresses the controversy surrounding the LZR swimsuit and the fact that it is allowed in the olympics. However, although I am a fan of technological development, it seems that tHe lzr racer swimsuit by speedo provies an unfair advantage to athletes who wear it in competitions by helping them swim faster. That is, fairness in sporting events requires standardized equipment as well as standardized jerseys or swimsuits, however in this case the lzr swimsuit is not a standardized swimsuit. The swimsuit constitutes a swimming aid more than just a swimsuit, akin to fins or any other swimming device. The only way for fairness to be uncompromised by this technology in a sporting event is for the swimsuit to either not be used at all or to be comprehensively adopted by all swimmers. Sporting events are a test of talent, not technology, and as such standardization in sporting equipment as well as jerseys and swimwwear is the general rule for fairness.

[Aedes]

Agreed. Man, you'd think that of all sports swimming would be the LEAST susceptible to equipment issues.

[Critz]

Hey, new to these forums, thought ide try my hand at something not too in-depth and without 10000 responces to go through. I feel that the swim suit in question isn't an issue. If a country wants to seriously support its champions, it shouldn't be afraid to invest in the latest of technologies. The suit is sait to be "(10% better than the Fastskin FSII - 2004's fast Speedo swimsuit - and 5% better than then the FS-PRO, the fastest Speedo suit from 2007. " (Speedo Fastskin LZR Racer Swimsuit - The Fastest Swim Suit in the World? Speedo LZR Racer Swim Suit - Fastskin Swimsuit) but should you discount those aformentioned suits in competition? At what point would you say that the competition has become too controled by the money a team invests in its equipment? SHould all the teams use linen suits so as to discount all technology?

Can you put a limit to the amount of money an Olympian has put into training, coaching and then the amount of time they have put to the task? No, and likewise i feel the swim-suit should just be another 'need' for the athelite, and if the country is serious about going for gold, it should jump at the opportunity to equip their swimmers with the best gear possible.