Updated July 29, 2009
UPDATE: SwimNews is reporting that the FINA Congress (24 July 2009) voted 168 for, 7 against on FINA legislation marking the end of the super-swimsuits of 2008-2009. The report also states that, starting in 2010, swimsuits will only be made of fabric, men's suits will be waist to knee (jammers) and women's suits will be below the neck (shoulder straps) to above the knee. Another proposal still to be looked at is records set between February 2008 and January 2009 - will they be "asterisked" to indicate that they are form the era of the super suits?
May 14 2009: FINA (the guys that make the rules for the world of swimming) met in Dubai 12-14 March 2009. What did they decide at the meeting? A lot, including approval of video-replay for stroke judges and the Dubai Charter, which is amendments to the FINA Swimwear Approval Procedures.
The new suit rules:
- Limit the suit coverage to below the neck and not past the shoulder or ankle.
- Limit material thickness to 1mm.
- Define and limit suit buoyancy (and who will measure it).
- Prohibit suits from providing any type of pain reduction or stimulation.
- Prohibit suits from being customized for individual swimmers.
- Prohibit swimmers from wearing multiple suits.
- Starting in 2010, prohibit suits from having more than 50% of their surface area covered in non-permeable materials or no more than 25% each of the upper or lower portion of a suit.
