We have all seen our fair share of controversial swimsuits…from barely-there Brazilian styles that show every part of the female physique, to their equally appalling male counterparts: banana hammocks and grape smugglers. But never before has a swimsuit raised so many eyebrows.
In February, Speedo introduced a new bodysuit that gives competitive swimmers an all new edge. The official name of the suit is the LRZ Racer. With its specialize fabric (a combination of a polyurethane layer with a layer of normal fabric) and technologically advanced design, swimmers can easily maneuver in the pool.
The controversy comes from the usage of the new blended fabric. Many critics claimed that the material violated the anti- buoyancy rules that have been established by FINA (the aquatic sports world’s governing body). The suit has since been tested and determined to be in accordance with all FINA regulations.
In addition to the fabric controversy, there has also been great discussion about the suit’s new high tech design. NASA contributed to its design; the space agency’s big advancement came from the compression and the positioning of support panels around the center of the suit. This space aged design provides core stability that traditional swimsuits just don’t have.
Since its release, 19 world records have been broken. The LRZ Racer was worn in 18 of the 19 victories; this fact is a testament to the suit’s future impact on competitive swimming. There has been considerable discussion about whether or not the suit would be worn by competitors in the upcoming Olympics. As of right now the suit is still considered legal and may be worn by Olympic athletes.
There is additional debate over the suits appearance at the Olympics because there are national teams that are contracted to swimsuit companies other than Speedo. These teams are contractually obligated to wear suits that do not have this new technology. This would possibly lead to an unfair advantage for the national teams that do have a Speedo contract.
Competing swimsuit companies are now racing to copy the new design and get it approved so that their athletes will have the same opportunity as Speedo sponsored athletes.
-Tab
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