PHOENIX, Arizona, December 12. IT took a couple of days for the NCAA to cross the Ts and dot the Is, but the governing body of collegiate athletics in the U.S. has released a memo regarding its conference call regarding the use of speedsuits earlier this week.
The NCAA has not elected to install a new moratorium on the suits, but has decided to stop swimmers from wearing multiple suits.
Here is the memo from the NCAA:
December 12, 2008
TO: Directors of Athletics, Head Swimming and Diving Coaches, Senior Woman Administrators and Conference Commissioners.
FROM: Sue Petersen Lubow, secretary-rules editor
NCAA Swimming and Diving Committees
Leslie Danehy, rules liaison
NCAA Swimming and Diving Committees.
SUBJECT: Important Uniform Interpretation.
Reminder: All new-technology suits approved by FINA are permissible to be worn in intercollegiate competition including NCAA Championships.
Uniform Interpretation (effective December 19, 2008):
The uniform is defined as one swimsuit or garment. No other suit, garment or material is permitted to be worn attached or supplemented under, over, or as part of the uniform. This includes tanks or briefs worn under the suit or drag suits worn over the suit.
Scenario 1:
Coach A notices that Swimmer B, who is standing behind the blocks in preparation for his event, is wearing multiple technical suits.
Ruling: Illegal. Coach should bring this information to the attention of the official.
Scenario 2:
Swimmer A, in lane 3, gets up on the block and the Starter sees that Swimmer A has a brief under his technical swimsuit.
Ruling: Illegal. Delay of the meet may be charged to the student-athlete.
Scenario 3:
Swimmer A, who has already qualified with an A-Standard time for the 200 freestyle, gets up on the block to swim that event wearing a lycra bathing suit with an old, torn, nylon tank suit over it.
Ruling: Unless the swimmer removes the outer "drag" suit prior to the event, and swims with only one suit, their performance would be disqualified in that event.
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Reaction Time Comments
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December 12, 2008 While I agree in principle with this rule, I think it is too late to put it into effect this year. It is not fair to say that it's ok that this team did it two weeks ago their swims count, but since you didn't think of it then, you can't have that advantage anymore. I think they need to postpone putting this rule into effect until after the conference meets/ Submitted by: Bandit
December 13, 2008 Can someone please explain the rationale for this rule? It seem pointless unless they think someone's sponsorship arrangement is somehow threatened. And for briefs underneath (anyone ever hear of modesty? It's on old concept that never hurt anyone I know of) or torn suits over the top, what is the problem. It just seems amazing that in a call where it is thought the subject was going to be the important philosophical question of whether to allow NCAA swimming to be just another place where the techno-suits put an asterisk on every new record or if they might at least try to keep it simple, they come out with an interpretation that prevents an athlete preference at a pre-championship meet of wearing a beat-up comfortable old drag suit. Bizarre and pointless are two words that come to mind. Submitted by: dunc1952
December 13, 2008 The rationale given to me in a phone call is that swimmers, or the coaches of the swimmers, have figured out that two suits are better than one.
Let's take this example. Suit A has better core compression, while Suit B has better drag. Well, instead of having to choose, why not wear Suit A underneath Suit B? That way, you get the core compression and the better drag at the same time. There's even talk of people at Euro Short Course wearing three suits at times.
The drag suit stuff I think is to close a potential loop hole. The NCAA decided the most easily enforced ruling they could come up with is one suit, that's it. Then officials and coaches don't have to worry about, is this specific type of suit allowed to be worn as part of a double or not?
I do think that briefs underneath for modesty would be nice. But, the NCAA has to regulate to the most easily enforced rule, even if it is scorched earth type regulating. If you allow briefs, what's the ruling on what type of brief you can wear? Is it only the very small brief, or could someone try to push the envelope and try to maybe take a Suit A that has some core compression elements and try to maybe modify it so that it appears like a brief, but maintains some sort of compression element underneath the suit they already are wearing?
Not saying I agree with the entire ruling, but I can definitely understand a lot of the reasoning behind it. Submitted by: Jason Marsteller
December 13, 2008 The one thing I am waiting for is some overzealous official or coach deciding to DQ a female wearing a two-piece bikini during a winter training trip competition. I could see someone interpreting this ruling as not allowing a two-piece bikini. Submitted by: Jason Marsteller
Reaction Time responses do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions
of Swimming World Magazine or SwimmingWorldMagazine.com.
Reaction Time is provided as a service to our readers.
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