Nontextile super swimsuits don’t suit FINA

Smooth, impermeable swimsuits broke onto the international scene at the Beijing Olympics, worn by gold medal winner Michael Phelps in setting one record after another. In a move to eliminate this technological advantage from swimming competition, the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA), international swimming’s governing body, plans to ban all nontextile swimwear. FINA established a June 19 deadline for swimsuit makers to submit independent testing data about their products and plans to poll its 22 FINA Bureau members in July. Restrictions could occur as soon as January 2010.