Swimsuit issue: Sport's leaders rein in tech advances

ROME -- The swimmers on the pool deck are ogling each other's high-tech bodysuits like fashionistas on the runways of Milan, thinking of gliding into history with yet another record-smashing time.
The leaders of the sport, however, are saying: not so fast.
With all the astonishing technological advances of the past year and a half threatening to turn swimming into "a joke of a sport," as one top coach put it, officials on Thursday took a cautious step toward reining things in.

FINA, the sport's governing body, approved a proposal backed by USA Swimming that adds two key words to a rule stating: "No swimmer shall be permitted to use or wear any device that may aid his speed, buoyancy or endurance during a competition." The new rule bars "any device or swimsuit" that aids performance.

"This is a great sport. There are great people involved in it. We must return it back to the credibility it once had," said Alan Thompson, longtime leader of the Australian national team.

That credibility has certainly been threatened by a mind-boggling assault on the record book. Last year, 108 world marks were set. The trend is still going strong in 2009, with nearly 30 records falling already.

The new rule comes just as Michael Phelps and Co. prepared to make a splash at the world swimming championships.

Phelps arrived in Rome for the world championships Thursday for his first swim in the Foro Italico pool.

"He did his normal thing we would do after a trip. He did a little bit of fast swimming and it looked pretty good," said Phelps' coach, Bob Bowman.

Phelps will swim only three individual events in Rome -- the 200 freestyle, and 100 and 200 butterfly -- plus all three relays. At this month's U.S. championships, he set a world record in the 100 butterfly, although he pulled out of the 100 free with a sore neck.

"I think things are looking pretty good, so we'll see how it goes," Bowman said.

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