Amaury Leveaux, two-times Olympic silver medallist and the French star of the suits-tainted European short-course championships last December, tells L'Equipe today "I'd rather take a holiday".

Than go to Rome world championships next month, that is. The French sports paper makes a headline of it in an interview with the swimmer conducted by senior writer Benoit Lallement. Leveaux says that if the jaked01 remains the only 100% unmodified poly suit allowed for Rome, he will boycott the 50m free at the world 's'hampionships.

Leveaux describes FINA's U-turn on its May 19 decision to ban all 100% polyurethane suits "completely incomprehensible ... on the limits of incompetence". He failed to understand how it was possible for FINA to accept an unmodified Jaked01 while other 100% poly suits had to be modified. "They started a process but they don't know where they're going."

 In a move that shows just how ludicrous the whole situation has become, TYR, Leveaux's sponsor and a company forced to modify its Titan model despite the fact that unmodified it is likely to be no less offensive than the Jaked01, has tried to help the swimmer get his head round the shambolic farce unfolding around him by suggesting he try out a Jaked01 at the Mediterranean Games in Pescara this weekend.

Leveaux said he would continue to train hard for Rome but if the Jaked01 continued to be the only 100% unmodified poly suit "no - I won't swim!"  He did not want to be beaten in uncompetitive waters and added: "I am contracted to TYR: what is the point of contracts if you're just going to rip them up...". He would try the Jaked01 at Med Games, perhaps, but would wear nothing but TYR if he steps up to his blocks in Rome.

"I prefer to make a stand [to force an impasse]."

That would be a tough measure, Lallement suggests. "For sure," says Leveaux. "At the same time, if in the crowd you're the only one to shoot yourself in the foot, no-one will notice you..."

 In Pescara, he will race against teammates Alain Bernard, probably in the final version of the arena X-Glide, and Fred Bousquet, probably in a Jaked, though possibly in a Mizuno 100% poly number that he has signed up to. The French sprinters will race world champion Filippo Magnini (ITA), who repeats to ANSA, the Italian agency, today his view that the sport should return to briefs for men "because that way we know which athlete is the best one".

 Lallement asks Leveaux if it was his wish to try out the Jaked01. The sprinter says: "..perhaps I could go faster, I don't know. At the same time, I'm a little afraid. Suppose I do go fast, what happens come January 1 [2010, when 100% poly suits will be banned]? If that happens, I go from super fast to super bad."

He was not against suit development but "that allows some to go at ludicrous speeds. You see people who couldn't make it on to a European team enter the fastest top 10 times all-time," adds Leveaux.

Leveaux notes that on facebook swimmers are calling for a boycott of the world championships. "If the biggest names in swimming do not go to Rome, it will force FINA to think again. I've thought about it. And if FINA sticks with its current position..."

Leveaux leaves the answer unfinished and adds: "...from Jan 1, we'll see who's really the best".

If Leveaux feels that he may not make a final in Rome, he says, he would "rather be on holiday". He had no doubt that the sprint winner would be a man in a Jaked.

 Asked about the impact of his potential boycott on the French relay, he said it was possible that he would race in the relay but not the 50m because he would not wish to penalise his teammates.

He said that he was not the "president of the confederation of malcontents", merely a cog, but if others wished to follow him, so be it. Training against such a woeful backdrop was "hard". The issue was discussed daily and "saps your energy". 

Asked what value 100% poly world records had, Leveaux said: "...you put on a body and 'hop'! You break a record. If I have advice to give anyone it is to wait until January 1. We live for that moment to see who is really the best!".

Provided that FINA gets it right for January 1, of course.