FINA (the international governing body of swimming) has gotten dozens of requests for for new swimsuit approval before any possible deadline that may prevent the introduction of new swimsuits at the Rome swimming World Championships in July of this year.
Swimsuit manufacturer have submitted over 30 swimsuit approval request to FINA in hopes of getting their swimsuit approved before this summer world championships.
Last month the swimming community was in an uproar at the European short-course Championships in Rijeka when both coaches and athletes felt that some swimmers had a technological advantage based on their swimsuit.
But according to SwimNews.com:
"Just about every approval granted in 2008 got through on the basis of no scientific tests - and certainly no independent scientific tests - being carried out. It would be impossible to detect something rare in a suit that looks and feels exactly like others flowing into the pool. Some still paint things that already exist in this world as fiction and prefer to wait until fact not only stares them in the face (as it did at Manchester 2008 with the LZR Racer) but takes a wet fish and slaps them across the face several times and then steals their wallet in broad daylight.
The arrival of anything that could be called a doping suit should be avoided at all costs. Has FINA already seen the frame on which such a garment will be built - without realizing it?
On the rush of requests, the argument of most suit makers - and some swimmers - is the same: if FINA allow it, then we should be competitive. The ball, therefore, returns to the court of FINA. "