The big story this year in competitive swimming is the LZR Racer swimsuit, which was developed by the British sportswear manufacturer Speedo. At least six world records have been set by swimmers wearing the suit. Studies have shown that its drag-diminishing properties lower racing times by 1.9 to 2.2 percent, which is significant in a sport where victory is measured by hundredths of a second.
There is no doubt that the suits are helping swimmers. The real question is: Do they provide their wearers with an unfair advantage over swimmers who don't wear them? The answer seems to be "yes," with even the official blog of the National Collegiate Athletics Association wondering if the LZR Racer constitutes "technology doping." What's the difference between gaining an advantage with a swimsuit and gaining an advantage by taking performance-enhancing drugs?
The debate will not make any difference. It appears that almost every swimmer competing at the Beijing Olympics will be wearing the suit, despite the fact that they cost upwards of ¥70,000 a piece and are so tight that it reportedly takes 30 minutes to put one on. Several months ago, Japan's swimming world was thrown into turmoil because its top competitors had deals with Japanese swimsuit manufacturers. The companies didn't enforce the deals because if they did and the swimmers lost in Beijing, then they know who would be blamed. Winning is the only thing that matters, even more than money.