By John Sinnott

Adlington won two golds and broke a world record in Beijing

British swimming boss David Sparkes has insisted Rebecca Adlington's Olympic success has not been devalued by Fina's crackdown on hi-tech swimsuits.

Adlington claimed two gold medals and a world record in a Speedo LZR suit at Beijing Games last summer.

But now Fina has stipulated swimsuits should not cover the neck and must not extend past the shoulders and ankles.

"You don't win an Olympic medal unless you are world class," Sparkes told BBC Sport. "It doesn't devalue anything."

Maybe suits were a factor we will know more as time goes on British swimming chief executive David Sparkes

Adlington, who is the face of the Speedo brand following the continuation of a sponsorship deal with British Swimming, was wearing the space-age LZR Racer suit when she won her two gold records and broke Janet Evans' 18-year-old 800 metres record.

Michael Phelps was also wearing the controversial suit when he won a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics.

606: DEBATE Do you agree with Fina's decision?

"Adlington and Phelps broke records because they were training smarter and swimming faster," said British Swimming chief executive Sparkes.

"The sport has got a much better match between coaching and sport science. The training methods enable the sports scientists help the coach to prepare the swimmers better.

"A lot of people have said the records were down to the suits. I'm more cautious. We will see in Rome how much difference the suits have been making to the sport," added Sparkes, referring to the world championships in July.

At the Olympics in Beijing, LZR swimmers, most notably Phelps, won 94% of the golds on offer and broke 23 of the 25 records set in the Cube, but opponents of the hi-tech suits have argued their use amounts to "technological doping".

"I'd make a comparison with tennis rackets," said Sparkes. "Some of the shots that current tennis players can play with hi-tech rackets - you wouldn't have been able to pull those off with wooden rackets.

"Technology moves on. Maybe suits were a factor, but we will know more as time goes on.

"This is good leadership from Fina and I'm delighted. It's exactly what the sport needed to clarify the position."

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version