GR. I loved all of this coverage. Thanks for keeping us updated and adding to the discussion!
ERIC http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Triathletepix/ http://groups.google.com/group/omnisport http://speedorex.blogspot.com/ ________________________________ From: GR Bryant <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Thursday, July 30, 2009 9:54:32 PM Subject: [omnisport:10227] High-Tech Money Sponsors Swimming & FINA Contra claims muddy waters around high-tech swimsuits Jacquelin Magnay November 21, 2008 An influential US swimming coach has revealed global swimsuit manufacturers injected millions of dollars of sponsorship into the world swimming authority FINA at the same time as they successfully sought approval of the new generation technical suits. This comes as FINA has buckled under international pressure and agreed to hold a "think tank" on the future of technical swimsuits in February, as statistics show the number of world records broken this year was five times greater than in the Athens Olympic year. In a clear sign that the swimming world remains divided over the technical suits, American Swimming Coaches Association executive director John Leonard said in a confidential report to his board last week that FINA chief executive Cornel Marculescu had acted outside his authority in rubber-stamping the suit approvals. Leonard has urged a global backlash from all coaches and swimming federations against the suits. "Cornel is concerned solely and completely about money," Leonard wrote. "Each company that has had a suit approved has also, basically simultaneously, taken on the sponsorship of a part of the FINA program. "The total expenditure of all the companies in doing this can be conservatively estimated at $US4-$US5 million dollars. His [Marculescu's] opinion is that what is 'good for FINA is good for the sport'. He sees those two items as synonymous. We are captive to the money-dominated decision process of one man. And one man only. Incredible, but true." FINA's leading sponsor is Speedo, the first manufacturers to use the compression core, which strengthens the midriff of the swimmers with less fatigue and launched in February. Already the pre-Beijing suit, the LZR, is being superseded by a newer, more high-tech model, the Rocket. Other manufacturers have since followed, releasing new suits, after earlier believing the technology was against FINA's rules of buoyancy. Leonard claimed in his letter that the approval process for the latest suit, the Rocket, was that FINA accepted a cheque. Scientific research has shown the expensive suits, which all feature new fabric incorporating plastics and compression technology, have fast-tracked world record times to levels not expected under normal circumstances for more than 16 years. There have been 89 world records set since February, according to Swimnews.com. In recent Olympic years, the number of world records was 17 (2004), 33 (2000), five (1996) and 16 (1992). US swimming coaches have banned the technical suits for youngsters under 12, and Australian coaches may follow. Australian head swim coach Alan Thompson said he was canvassing opinions and was preparing a response by Christmas. The suit debate is being played out amid a coming election for the FINA presidency. Both the president Mustapha Larfaoui and treasurer Julio Maglione are candidates, and both have privately expressed opposition to the suits. But Leonard said both men would not rein in Marculescu. Australian coach Forbes Carlile, an outspoken critic of the suits, said: "Obviously, honesty and purity in swimming is not going to happen in competitive swimming in the foreseeable future if we wait … for action prompted by self-motivation alone by the FINA powers that be." --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "omnisport" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/omnisport?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
