T2T sports moves from the Brett Favre saga to Olympic swimming, where the performance of Michael Phelps and the American men's relay team has inspired global awe. Not to rain on anyone's parade, but today's New York Times included this interesting nugget of information:
“When technology is used in a sport, it is important to be in control of the way it is being developed and where it might lead us,” Claude Fauquet, technical director of the French swimming federation, said in reference to swimsuit technology.
Fauquet has called for more debate about the use of Speedo’s LZR Racer, the latest advance in the full-body suit craze popularized over the last eight years. The Racer has been worn for the setting of about four dozen world records since its introduction in February. The corset-like suit is made by ultrasonic welding instead of stitching, can require a half hour to put on and shoe-horns the body into a more streamlined position, designed to reduce drag in the water.
Critics suspect that the suit aids buoyancy in the water, in violation of performance-enhancing rules set forth by the international swimming federation, known as FINA. Alberto Castagnetti, the Italian national swim coach whose team wears a rival brand, has equated the Racer with “technological doping.” Some believe the suit can boost performance as much as two percent; in swimming, where races are won by hundredths of a second, that can mean the difference between a gold medalist and an also-ran.
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3 comments:
While the Olympics were on, they spoke of the water depth in the pool also assisting the records.
It is being called a "fast pool".
They are also extremely tall; 6'2"- 6'5".
The French team (including Alain Benard) all were those suits too. To me, that's a level playing field.
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Did you notice those strange finger guards during the high bar excersize last night? Now THAT's something giving great advantage and speed.
I think a truly level playing field would require swim trunks valued no more than twenty or thirty bucks, purchased in each swimmer's home town. That would allow us to separate the swimmers from the techies.
Reminds me of when tennis moved away from wood rackets. The newer rackets (which I guess were/are made from graphite, fiberglass, and other materials) essentially made the game into one of power and speed as oppposed to skill and finesse. I may have this wrong, but I think Bjorn Borg attempted a comeback in the 90s and tried to use his old wood racket, but was getting blown away by players with a 10th of his talent. I think he ended up making the switch.
I'm all for technological advancements as long as they are available to all competitors. And they embrace the change. (and not only when they are winning)
Take a look at almost every sport and you'll see advances. It definitely "ups" the game as well as offering certain health and safety protections (ex.: football, racing, etc.)
Your example of tennis rackets changing the game from one of skill and finesse to power and speed....
I see it as "adding" power and speed to skill and finesse. But you are right. It certainly changes the nature of the game.
Best example of late-- the synthetic basketball. And it's gone. Players hated it.
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