The new Speedo swimsuits have certainly changed international swimming quite a bit since arriving last February. Athletes who wear them set an unprecedented 108 world records last year. But many people believe they should be illegal.
FINA's officials are now meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland to decide which suits will be legal for the rest of the year. This includes the world championship in Rome in July. FINA has hired the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.
There, suits are tested for thickness, buoyancy and water resistance. The lab will conduct a second round of tests later this year to help create some more stringent policies related to suits athletes wear. The rules will regulate race-ready suits starting in January, 2010.
(CCTV May 21, 2009)