Ryosuke Irie, who hacked 1.08sec off the world 200m backstroke record in Canberra on Sunday, was NOT wearing an arena X-Glide but the leggings version of an entirely new, collaboration suit, developed by arena 
Japan and Descente.

It was a suit that not even Alan Thompson, member of the FINA commission that will decide what makes it on to the final list of approved suits for use at world championships this summer, could recognise. The Aussie head coach was therefore unable to comment on when it came to analysing Irie's amazing time and performance.

The new product, like the arena X-Glide, is one of those for which approval is pending in the latest round of approvals that will be announced after a final decision next week and the release of an official suits list towards the end of May.

The sport of swimming is now well past the point where world records are being broken in suits not approved by FINA and off the scan of recognition for head coaches, officials and others, including swimmers (I can imagine most of the Dolphins hadn't a clue what Irie was wearing). FINA's next move when issuing the list of approved suits will need to be a careful one if a Circus Maximus is to be avoided in Rome this summer. 

Given the evolutionary nature of FINA's solution to the suits crisis, the international federation has the mechanism before it to approve any number of fast suits for use this summer (approval will not be granted for Rome 2009 specifically, but for the period up to September) but apply a bylaw for Rome 2009, one that would ensure fairness and comparison with Melbourne 2007. Where there is a will, there is a way.

If FINA can find that way, then at least the wounds that continue to be inflicted in the race pool would be confined to the record books while the racing in Rome would be free of the burden that has brought swimming low. Can FINA and the leading head coaches of the world find an answer on May 19 in Lausanne?