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The Roar

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Thorpe says swim suit debate is a beat up

24th February, 2009
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Olympic great Ian Thorpe says debate over the controversial modern day swimsuits is a “beat up”, as changes to the laws look set to ban his trademark full-length suit.

Swimming’s world governing body FINA will consider several amendments to the current swimwear at their Bureau meeting in Dubai from March 12-14 after meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland last week.

Among proposed amendments is one that will not allow swimsuits to cover the neck or extend past the shoulders and the ankles.

If passed, the rule would effectively outlaw the full bodysuit Thorpe used with great success at the 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens Olympics.

His black adidas suit has since been followed by several variations, with the Speedo LZR Racer costume leading the way as 108 world records were broken in the past 12 months.

Sydneysider Thorpe, who won five gold medals across the Sydney 2000 and Athens Olympics, attempted on Tuesday to put the debate over the current swimwear into an historical perspective.

“If you look at it historically, swimsuits have progressed since the early 1900s,” Thorpe said.

“When we talk about the swimsuits now the claims of how much they improve performance have been less significant than some of the claims that have been made in the past.

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“It’s something that’s just beat up over and over again.

“For most of the swimmers, we’re happy to swim in them.

“The only question that I may agree with some people is the fairness at that kind of intermediate level, when we are talking about kids wearing these things.

“We know that they are more expensive and so that people have equal access to what they swim in, I think we can make some new judgement and assessments on that kind of level.”

Thorpe assumed the unusual role of coach on Tuesday as he helped British businessman Sir Richard Branson and some colleagues race against a team of elite Australian swimmers at a Virgin Active Health Club in Sydney’s north.

Two Olympic 100m butterfly bronze medallists, Geoff Huegill (2000) and Andrew Lauterstein (2008) were both positive about the proposed FINA amendments.

Among the other amendments to go before the FINA Bureau next month are a proposal that the material used for suits will have a maximum thickness of one millimetre and that they should not have buoyancy effect of more than 100 grams.

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“I think as long as it’s an even playing field, I’m relatively happy,” Lauterstein said.

“As long as I know I’m standing up on the blocks and the guy next to me doesn’t have an advantage or a disadvantage and the best swimmer of the day is going to win, that’s all I care about, whether it means taking a step back in technology or letting advance, I’m easy.”

Huegill, who is embarking upon a comeback which he hopes will culminate in a return to the Australian team for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, particularly welcomed FINA’s new buoyancy proposal as he wasn’t in favour of wearing multiple suits.

“Now we’ve got really good guidelines and how we’re going to approach the scenario and the situation, the future is bright for the sport,” Huegill said.

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