OLYMPICS WEB GUIDES
OLYMPICS FEATURE ARTICLES
LATEST BEIJING OLYMPICS NEWS
Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps answers reporters' questions wearing a Speedo LZR
Racer following a press conference introducing the controversial swimsuit.
Racer following a press conference introducing the controversial swimsuit.
Speedo Sued by Rival TYR over Record-Breaking Swimsuit
May 19, 2008 01:44 PM
At issue is Speedo’s controversial LZR Racer swimsuit, which has helped shatter world records and caused many to question whether it provides an unfair competitive advantage.
30-Second Summary
According to the lawsuit, Speedo-sponsored USA Swimming and its coach, Mark Schubert, are encouraging swimmers to switch to Speedo’s LZR Racer swimsuit.
Schubert has allegedly said that swimmers “who do not switch to Speedo are wearing ‘inferior’ equipment and are at risk of ‘staying home’ during the Beijing Olympics because of the inferiority of their equipment.”
The LZR has dominated swimming competitions since its February 12 release. Thirty-seven swimmers wearing the LZR have broken world records, compared to just four wearing other suits.
With just months until the Beijing Olympics, many swimmers are deciding whether to break team or individual sponsorships and switch to the LZR.“The choice is clear,” writes Eurosport, “risk wearing a swimsuit that might be slower than your competitors, or break with your sponsor and bid for Olympic gold wearing Speedo's LZR Racer.”
The LZR has angered many traditionalists, who feel that the suit provides too great of an advantage. Italian coach Alberto Castagnetti has called it “technological doping.”
Some have called for it to be banned, claiming it improves buoyancy and thus qualifies as a performance-enhancer. However, Speedo was careful to create the suit within FINA’s strict guidelines and it is unlikely the suit will be banned from the Olympics.
Coincidentally, the lawsuit was filed on the same day that Oscar Pistorius, “The Fastest Man on No Legs,” won the right to compete in Olympic qualifications. He had been banned because his prosthetic legs were ruled to give him an unfair advantage.
Schubert has allegedly said that swimmers “who do not switch to Speedo are wearing ‘inferior’ equipment and are at risk of ‘staying home’ during the Beijing Olympics because of the inferiority of their equipment.”
The LZR has dominated swimming competitions since its February 12 release. Thirty-seven swimmers wearing the LZR have broken world records, compared to just four wearing other suits.
With just months until the Beijing Olympics, many swimmers are deciding whether to break team or individual sponsorships and switch to the LZR.“The choice is clear,” writes Eurosport, “risk wearing a swimsuit that might be slower than your competitors, or break with your sponsor and bid for Olympic gold wearing Speedo's LZR Racer.”
The LZR has angered many traditionalists, who feel that the suit provides too great of an advantage. Italian coach Alberto Castagnetti has called it “technological doping.”
Some have called for it to be banned, claiming it improves buoyancy and thus qualifies as a performance-enhancer. However, Speedo was careful to create the suit within FINA’s strict guidelines and it is unlikely the suit will be banned from the Olympics.
Coincidentally, the lawsuit was filed on the same day that Oscar Pistorius, “The Fastest Man on No Legs,” won the right to compete in Olympic qualifications. He had been banned because his prosthetic legs were ruled to give him an unfair advantage.
Headline Link: Speedo sued
Speedo’s parent company, Warnaco Swimwear, USA Swimming, USA Swimming coach Mark Schubert, and swimmer Erik Vendt were all named in TYR’s lawsuit. The suit contends that Speedo and USA Swimming are engaged in “campaign of falsely disparaging the products of Speedo’s competitors, including TYR, for the purpose of inducing competitive swimmers to refrain from doing business with Speedo’s competitors.” Vendt is being sued for allegedly breaking a deal with TYR to wear the LZR.
Source: Los Angeles Times (free registration may be required)
Reactions: Vendt’s agent strikes back, Phelps’ LZR snaps
Erik’s Vendt’s agent was angered by the lawsuit and said that his firm would no longer work with TYR. He strongly denied that Vendt had broken his TYR contract, saying, “It is unconscionable to think that a company such as TYR has so badly misread their own contract.”
Source: Los Angeles Times (free registration may be required)
On May 17, Michael Phelps ran two “fantastic” races in an older model swimsuit after his LZR’s drawstring snapped. The LZR has had problems with fragile drawstrings, and Speedo announced that it would be debuting new LZRs with stronger drawstrings on June 29.
Source: Washington Post
Background: The record-breaking LZR
Speedo spent nearly four years developing the LZR Racer, with help from NASA and the Australian Institute of Sport. On February 12, it was launched amid much fanfare at press conferences in New York and Sydney. “I've never worn a faster suit than we’re about to wear,” said Olympic champion Michael Phelps, “It's definitely going to change a lot of records in the record books.”
Source: USA Today
The LZR suit dominated the European Championships in March, helping Frenchman Alain Bernard to three world records in three days. FINA executive director Cornel Marculescu called for an investigation, though he admitted that the LZR was created within FINA guidelines. French technical director Claude Fauquet called for a debate: “I think it deserves a real debate. It’s even worth being analyzed by an ethical committee. We have not considered the consequences that it could have in the future.
Source: Herald Sun
The LZR continued to break records at FINA World Championships in early April. LZR-wearers raved about the suit, claiming that it shaved seconds off their time and gave them a psychological edge. It also received criticism from opponents, who felt the suit’s buoyancy qualified as a performance-enhancer. However, it was considered too late to ban the suit.
Source: New Straits Times
At the French National Championships, Laure Manaudou, who is under contract with Arena, lost the 400m for the first time in nearly four years. In tears after the race, she placed blame on her suit: “I can only say one thing: I'm waiting for the new Arena suit.” Meanwhile, Fabien Gilot said he was considering switching to the LZR, saying he “didn't work hard to be beaten by equipment.”
Source: Eurosport
Opinion & Analysis: The fairness of the LZR
Traditionalists argue that the LZR is taking away from the purity of swimming. The sport that is supposed to be “human versus water” is now being dominated by a space-age suit that enhances the swimmer’s power and body position. It has also created an uneven playing field, where some swimmers who aren’t sponsored by Speedo must either swim with an inferior suit or pay out of pocket for the LZR.
Source: Sydney Morning Herald
Associated Press writer Nancy Armour believes that technological advances are part of any game. “Whether it’s better training methods, better equipment, better uniforms, better diets—yes, even better pharmaceuticals in some cases—finding an edge is as much a part of the game as the sports themselves.”
Source: Associated Press
Related Topics: Oscar Pistorius
Oscar Pistorius is a double-amputee runner who had been banned from Olympic competition because his prosthetic legs were ruled to give him an unfair competitive advantage. He claimed the International Association of Athletics Federations was discriminating against disabled athletes and took the issue to court. On Friday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that he could participate in Olympic trials.
Source: findingDulcinea
Reference: Speedo’s LZR Racer
© 2009 Dulcinea Media, Inc.
