Speedo is considering turning a blind eye to sponsorship deals in order to allow swimmers contracted to wear its suits the freedom to wear any suit of choice at the world shampionships in Rome next month. The news is not quite as radical as it sounds.
A large percentage of medals and records set in the LZR last year were established by swimmers from the USA and Australia, and both those nation's already give swimmers freedom of choice when it comes to what they wear at world championships and Olympic Games. The policy of freedom of choice also applies in several other nations, including Britain and, since this week, Germany. For the US, AUS and GBR, the branding on non-Speedo suits must be blanked out but given that it is possible to identify at least some of the suits by appearance and colour and not branding, even blanking out logos is a little mute.
"The brand is continuing to evaluate the situation internally," Speedo vice president for marketing Craig Brommers said in a statement on Tuesday.
Drew Johnson, agent for Speedo's most famous endorser, said that he expected Michael Phelps would continue to use the LZR. Phelps is at his most vulnerable in Rome in the 100m sprint events, though few expect him to win the 100m freestyle. A medal would be a big achievement for the American at this early stage in his journey to London 2012. The 100m butterfly is the race that may be much more in focus: if the Olympic champion gets beaten in his LZR by a red-hot poker or a speedboat, hard to imagine that that will not become the theme of the final and that the result will be painted in the colours of the fast-suits crisis even more so that it is already destined to be.
Today is the deadline by which USA Swimming has asked suit makers to register with them and confirm "availability to all" if they want their suits to be worn at US trials for Rome 2009 world titles next week. SwimNews understands that all the major players have indeed made contact with USA Swimming to confirm their place on the blocks for the last big meet of the suit wars era before the best swimmers and their suits gather in the charged atmosphere of the Foro Italico in Rome.
