Swimming ruling body FINA confirmed on Tuesday that the high-tech swimsuits that have helped bring down a dozen world records at the world championships will be banned from next year.

"The material can only be textile fabric," FINA executive director Cornel Marculescu told a news conference.

"The shape (of the costume) -- for men it shall not extend above the naval or below the knee. For women it shall not extend above the neck, beyond the shoulders or below the knee."

(Xinhua News Agency July 29, 2009)