News on the swimsuit front

FINA, swimming's international governing body, plans to address the controversy over high-tech swimsuits at a meeting in March. See this from USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2008-12-22-3811161370_x.htm

Any decision or recommendation made by FINA will likely have a big impact on the use of the high-tech suits at the high school level. USA Swimming will likely follow -- or come under intense international pressure to follow -- FINA's recommendations/decisions, and once USA Swimming rules on the issue, expect high school sports associations (under the auspices of the National Federation of State High School Association) to follow in line.

The suits continue to generate controversy, which peaked in Wisconsin during the conclusion of the girls swim season. Several coaches after the girls state high school swim meet noted the fast times swum by both D1 and D2 swimmers at the meet, many of them wearing a version of the high-tech suits. See:

http://wiscswim.blogspot.com/2008/11/fast-suits.html

Any action by FINA is unlikely to have much impact at this season's boys state swim meet. The USA Today article suggests the earliest that any changes regarding the use of such suits would occur would be at the 2009 world swim championships in Italy this summer.