Swimming Australia Limited continues to tell its athletes that they can wear the Aussie version of the Speedo FS-Pro despite knowing that the suit was submitted for approval but rejected by FINA because it did not comply with 2010 suit rules.
In reply to questions put to Speedo by SwimNews, the suit maker makes its position clear, by stating: "The Speedo FS Pro was launched internationally in 2007. The suit was submitted for approval under FINA’s new rules and was not approved due to a double layer of fabric in the legs. New versions were redeveloped and resubmitted to FINA specifically by Speedo operations in the USA and Japan, and were subsequently approved."
Nothing wrong with any of that and worth noting that the federations of the US and Japan have not allowed exemptions to FINA rules since January 1 in the elite race pool. But after the suit was rejected, SAL still told its seniors they could wear the Aussie FS-Pro until July 31 this year, seven months after new rules came into force. In addition, the Australian federation and member of FINA has told juniors Down Under that they can continue to wear the FS-Pro after that date and "for the foreseeable future". The explanation (SwimNews is still waiting for an official response from the federation) at SAL is that it wanted to allow the use of textile swimsuits that are non-FINA approved if compliant with FINA style and coverage rules and SAL By-Laws.
That was supposed to take into account the fact that swimmers had pre-2008 suits still in their possession that would easily pass FINA tests but had not been submitted by makers for approval and therefore did not carry a FINA-approved label. The problem with that scenario in this particular case is that the suit was indeed submitted for approval - and rejected. So SAL is clearly turning its nose up at FINA rules.
Speedo, partner to both FINA and SAL, defends its position as a suit maker that did the right thing: "For clarification, FS Pro in Australia is the original version and Speedo Australia has been clear in notifying its customers that the swimsuit is not FINA approved."
The suit maker adds by way of explanation for SAL: "Swimming Australia has been clear that it does not want juniors to miss an opportunity to swim at Age Group Championships because they do not have a FINA approved swimsuit. FINA approved Speedo swimsuits are not available in sizes that are small enough to fit some juniors hence the Junior FS Pro was introduced to provide more choice for Age Group swimmers. The Junior FS Pro is not FINA approved and Speedo Australia has made this clear with customers also."
SAL did indeed make it clear that no records could be set in the Aussie FS-Pro. What SAL has not been heard saying to its juniors is: you can get a pair of textile briefs for less than 40 dollars and they will last you just fine for the whole summer and longer and, like all other suits you are now allowed to wear, they will not make the slightest difference to your performance - for under FINA rules, they must not (just as they did not in the days of all those legends that went before you, like Dawn Fraser, Shane Gould, Mike Wenden, Duncan Armstrong, Kieren Perkins, Susie O'Neill and lots of others who flew the flag for Australia and Speedo with flying colours, pride and in a way that sold suits to generations of kids...).
