To Swim or Not to Swim

The swimming teams of the London 2012 Olympics now have something else to add to their stress levels. If the stress of winning gold wasn't enough, athletes now need new swimsuits to compete. 

Just days before the opening ceremony, organisers have banned the use of whole body polyurethane swimsuits as athletes are breaking too many world records. The technologically designed swimsuit allows swimmers to be more buoyant, stronger and minimize the water resistance.

According to www.icis.com, 23 new world records were set at the 2008 Beijing Olympic games from swimmers who wore these swimsuits. It is uncertain to me whether this is from the ‘technologically advanced’ swimsuits or just solely the ability of the athlete.

Swimmers now need to resort back to the days of becoming hair free (which is said to have the same effect as the swimsuits). However there is an art to shaving and waxing. It may come as a surprise to most men but American swimmer Michael Phelps is becoming quite a natural, leaving only a little shaving scar visible to spectators. Good work I say.

However, I do believe that the ban on these swimsuits will determine the raw ability of the swimmers and that their talent is enough to prove themselves in this day and age. Swimmers can prove that they can break world records with or without these swimsuits.  

The question on the lips of swimming fanatics is whether these Polyurethane swimsuits should have been banned. Do you think the ban of the swimsuits will change the result of a race or potentially a world record, or is it all in the ability of the swimmer?