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Swimming: FINA set to rule on high-tech swimsuits

Associated Press

LAUSANNE, Switzerland — A panel of swimming experts will meet Monday to decide which models of high-tech swimsuits can be worn at the world championships this summer.

Governing body FINA said Wednesday that independent laboratory tests have been completed on all models of suits that were used by swimmers to rewrite the sport's record book in the past 15 months.

"Now we have the results of the tests," FINA said in a statement. "The commission will analyze the results and draw a list of the swimsuits that are approved and not approved."

The commission, which includes technical officials, athletes and coaches, will meet at FINA headquarters in Lausanne to decide which suits can be worn at the July 19-Aug. 2 worlds being held in Rome, and for the rest of the year.

Testing on suits' thickness, buoyancy and permeability was carried out last month by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne.

A second round of updated tests will be done this year to create a new list of approved suits for use in competition from Jan. 1, 2010.

FINA is trying to keep up with and regulate the rapid development of new materials and designs in swimsuits which has been described by critics as "technological doping."

A total of 108 world records were broken last year and 18 marks have fallen in 2009.

The governing body stated in March that its core principle was to run "a sport essentially based on the physical performance of the athlete."

FINA was criticized for allowing the suits to be used at last year's Beijing Olympics and failing to provide a clear distinction between an acceptable suit and one that enhances performance.

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