According to French reports today, France is to hold talks this week with arena over a modified version of the X-Glide, the original finished version in which Alain Bernard became the first man to break 47sec in the 100m freestyle at French nationals in April.
Bernard, under the supervision of coach Denis Auguin, tried out the latest version of X-Glide during an eight-day high-altitude training camp in Italy, according to L'Equipe, though an arena spokesperson said that no such testing had taken place at this stage. The modified X-Glide must be submitted for retesting by a June 19 deadline after the suit in which Bernard clocked 46.94 was deemed to trap air to a level unacceptable to Prof Jan-Anders Manson and his team of independent testers in Lausanne.
French head coach Lionel Horter tells L'Equipe today: "We will make that point [dates and timing] to Arena this week. If the material is approved, we would only be able to test in in racing once before the world championships in Rome. We wouldn't be able to try it until the Mediterranean Games (June 26-30).
During the Mare Nostrum Tour, during which Bernard will clash with Eamon Sullivan and the LZR suit he has been able to keep for this summer, all suits not yet approved by FINA will not be allowed in the race pool. "That's a logical position," said Horter. "But its a mad situation in which it is the organisers and protagonists who are sorting all of that out, while FINA has yet to clarify the situation." Barcelona is the only leg of the Mare Nostrum yet to fall in line.
Coach to Fred Bousquet, Romain Barnier, told L'Equipe that if Barcelona allow the Jaked01 in which the sprinter clocked a yet-to-be ratified 20.94 50m freestyle world record back in April then Bousquet will wear it. Olympic 50m champion Cesar Cielo, in Bernard's arena stable, accompanies Bousquet on tour.
FINA indicated in Lausanne last week that the results of retested suits may be ready before the June 19 deadline for submission of modified apparel if suit makers had handed in their devices in time. The Paris Open unfolds June 19-21.
