FINA boss draws veil over modesty debate

Mar 27, 2009, 15:54 GMT

Doha - One of the most powerful officials in the world of swimming has moved to end a brewing swimsuit debate, telling German Press Agency dpa that it was time to move on after Swedish swimmer Therese Alshammar had her world record in Australia annulled for wearing a double swimsuit.

The incident caused a major splash in the swimming scene after Alshammar slammed the rules as sexist, but FINA executive director Cornel Marculescu made a quick effort to smooth troubled waters on the sidelines of the Diving World Series in Doha.

'There is no debate. The rule is very clear: there is only one swimsuit allowed. There is no problem anymore,' the FINA boss said.

'I think the situation with swimsuits in general and the rule we have is very clear and they just have to implement it.'

The Swedish swimmer claimed she wore a second swimsuit to protect her modesty, sparking her 'sexist' comments. Proponents of the FINA rule say that the additional swimsuit may have given Alshammar extra buoyancy in the water on the way to bettering her world record.

Marculescu revealed that the swimmer had now understood FINA9s position and withdrawn her original protest.

'I don9t think there is any debate anymore because even the swimmer understands and has withdrawn her appeal. So we have no problem with her,' he said.

But the issue has clearly caused a stir in the water and led to a heated debate about the extent to which high-tech swimsuits should be allowed to alter performances in the pool.

'Swimsuits are not an issue here with diving,' a relieved Marculescu said with a touch of good humour at the venue of the Doha Asian Games swimming competitions.

Other FINA officials were equally relieved.

The event director of the prestigious Diving World Series in Doha, the first of its kind in the region, said that she was glad the swimsuits debate had not reached the diving competitions.

'Our swimsuits are as they have always been, they don't change and it would be difficult for the divers to wear the ones the swimmers wear,' said Melanie Beck.

'The swimmers take too long getting into their swimsuits: 45 minutes. That is too long.'

However, the FINA official said much care had been taken to ensure the new regulations on swimsuits for swimmers took into account the concerns of the athletes themselves.

'FINA have taken a great deal of care to take as much information as possible and take every point of view into consideration before making a ruling,' she said.

Beck said she could not imagine the debate flaring up again ahead of the world championships in Rome this year.

'I think it9s settled now. FINA made a directive regarding the swimsuits and by the world championships there will be new swimsuits delivered, so it is a done deal now.'

For female Italian diver Tania Cagnotto, one of an array of top diving names present at the two day event, the debate is due to the constant desire to keep moving faster through the water.

'Of course I heard about it,' Cagnotto told dpa, 'but we don9t need swimsuits that make you move faster. I do wish it existed: a swimsuit to make you jump higher, but it does not. So we don9t need anything: just a swimsuit that covers us.'