The 14th FINA World Championships are underway in Shanghai, with pool racing from July 24-31. Our daily round-up of snippets related to the big showcase:

Chests and Breasts: swim suit makers have secretly won their fight to persuade FINA to put men back in body tops on the grounds of equality, according to sources in the sport. The issue would have to go before Congress in 2013 for any rule changes to be agreed but if what is being suggested turns out to be correct, then FINA will have voted on the side of artificial interference once more and ignored the true nature of things. Equality would only apply if men and women raced together. They do not. Nor would any action on discussions to introduce mixed relays (which would also require a rule change) change that, for each team would have two of each gender. If the argument for having tops to men's suits is purely based on commerciality, on aesthetics and the ability of swim suit makers to brand their products in a more obvious way, then the argument ought to be won on that basis. Nature, meanwhile, reminds us of why equality is no argument in this case: women have breasts, so they cover up; men have chests and they don't need to cover up. Very simple. What some suit makers want is a return of the bodysuit, textile, but bodysuits cut. One reason: they can charge far more for a product that under FINA rules ought not to enhance performance but will be sold as if it did. One reason not to do it : the male swimmer's body is among the things that makes the sport attractive. 

Britain: As we await news on positive tests and the consequences of taking food supplements, British Swimming has, presumably, sone more than assume that Multipower supplements never come into contact with anything remotely close to anything that may constitute a banned product. The reason: Olympic medal hope Fran Halsall has signed a deal with the nutrition firm and will use, according to the company, its "gels, drinks and powders, as she works towards Olympic glory - and a potential five medal haul - on home soil, at the 2012 Games in London". We also take it that by that they mean home waters, not soil, which offers a little more resistance to the swimmer.

Ireland: Halsall, meanwhile, is to be joined in the arena stable by Gráinne Murphy, the 18-year-old Irish 1500m freestyle swimmer who is the latest addition to the elite squad of sponsored medal shots. After three gold medals (200m IM, 400m IM and 800m freestyle) and a bronze (1500m freestyle) at the 2009 European Junior swimming Championships in Prague, Murphy took silver in the 30-lap battle at the European Championships in Budapest last year.