By Anneloes van Iwaarden
Performance enhancing drugs are banned from sports but what about performance enhancing sports wear?
Debate on the wearing of body-suit swimwear continues as, according to Craig Lord of the Sunday Times, the US is calling for a ban on the ‘shoulder-to-ankle skin-tight costume’ worn by 90% of medal winners in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
It seems rules on performance increasing swimwear are yet to catch up with the realities of technological innovation.
In his article, ‘Making Waves’, Lord points that the launch of a pain-removing, body-interacting swimsuit could be closer than we think and Fina (the international governing body) can do little about it.
The debate on using technology in sport is not new and is not confined to the world of the swimming pool.
Before the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano Japan, there was equal discussion on the use of the innovative speed-skate with a built-in hinge mechanism, the so-called ‘Klap skate’.
Speed-skating innovation
Just like in the case of the Nasa-designed Speedo bodysuit in Beijing, long-track speed-skating world records were broken, times were slashed and a new era of speed-skating arose.
Use of so-called ‘speedstrips’ on speed-skaters body suits alleged to reduce air-resistance were also seen as controversial and many skaters complained of the unfair advantage it gave those using them.
In 2002, just before the start of the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, the International Skating Union (ISU) prohibited the wearing of the ‘double Klap skate’ because of its built-in electronic mechanism.
So when does technological advancement stop being called innovation and start being classified in the same category as performance-enhancing drugs?
And, even if it were possible, is the answer an all-out ban on all technological innovation in the world of sports?
In any case, it is naïve to think that a level playing ground in sports can exist because it defeats the purpose of competing in the first place.
However, a fair playing ground with equal access to technology is surely a noble goal that the sport-gods should strive for.
Meanwhile, it is about time we start thinking about a sport ideology where terms like talent and willpower override (access to) technological advances in determining winners and losers.
Posted by ahsvaniwaarden 