Graphic: making a splash: how times have tumbled in the pool

By the time that the last big international event of the year, the European Short-course Championships, draws to a close in Rijeka, Croatia, on Sunday, more than 100 world records are expected to have fallen for the first - and what many are hoping will be the last - time in a 12-month period.

The tally of world records, including 55 gold-standard long-course efforts, stands at 95 this year, a record in itself, while Europe has witnessed an unprecedented 104 continental standards. Beyond records, the rankings of all-time best performances have been swamped by efforts this year: in the women's 100 metres backstroke, 56 of the best 100 times were recorded since February. In an average year, 15 new entries would be expected.

Rejoice, say Fina and Len, respectively the global and European governing bodies, alongside some of the suit makers that provide millions of dollars in support. Ban the bodysuit, says USA Swimming, the federation of the world's aquatic superpower.

In a missive to its 8,000 members worldwide, John Leonard, executive director of the American Swimming Coaches Association and a leading light in the equivalent world union of coaches, wrote this week: “This is a battle for the soul of our sport. Shall it continue to be about hard work, attention to detail and athleticism, or shall it deteriorate into a soulless contest of engineering expertise?”

The problem started in February, when Speedo, the Nottingham-based company, launched the LZR Racer suit, a Nasa-inspired compression suit with polyurethane panels. Michael Phelps wore two versions on his way to a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics as did more than 80 per cent of medal-winners at the Water Cube.

The compression in the suit provides support for core strength, propping up tiring stomach and leg muscles at the end of races, while the polyurethane panels “turn the swimmer into a human surfboard”, according to one leading coach, by altering the “angle of buoyancy” in water. “Technological doping,” Alberto Castagnetti, the head coach of Italy, cried.

Speedo's rivals, who believed that a Fina rule that bans the use of “any device that may aid his speed, buoyancy or endurance” would prohibit the garment, tried to play catch-up before Beijing, without much success. Now brands that were unheard-of a year ago are booming. Among them is the Blueseventy Nero Comp, worn by swimmers on their way to five world records last month, while February will mark the debut of the “Rocket” suit.

A leaked letter sent to Fina by Marcin Sochacki, the Rocket Science Sports chief executive, has angered many in the sport. He wrote: “If the purists of this sport really want this to be man to man, then everyone should be on the exact same sleep schedule, nutrition plan/products and be set up to compete against others with the exact same hand size, lung capacity, arm and leg length including height, etc.”

A Fina source countered, saying: “How can you call a lung, an arm, a leg, sleep the same thing as a suit that is clearly an artificial aid to performance.”

Two years ago, Fina listed 12 official suit makers. In February it will meet 21 manufacturers to find a solution. Suit makers are keen to keep full-body cover and say that the door to technological development must be left open. But federations, coaches and swimmers are calling for strict controls. Fina will get the opinions of coaches at a meeting next month. The US want a one-suit rule and to restrict fabric cover on the body to no farther than above the knee and no farther than shoulder straps. Nine leading federations have pledged their support, while Great Britain is yet to decide.

David Sparkes, chief executive of British Swimming, said: “Our position is that we adopt Fina law.” Fina, he added, should have thought about the issues more carefully earlier, not least because there is something much darker lurking in the birthing pool: a supersuit capable of “interactive biofeedback”. One scientist told The Times: “It would be impossible to describe limitations in engineering in a rule document that would prevent the suit from activating the nervous system.”

Leading referees have joined the chorus of protest. One told The Times: “We look along a line of eight swimmers and we can't say for sure who is wearing what - or even how many suits someone might have on. It is complete chaos.”

Rijeka will bear witness to some of that chaos. The Great Britain squad will race without Rebecca Adlington, the double Olympic champion, or any of the other four medal-winners in Beijing. They are hard in training for the World Championships in Rome in July, days after Fina votes on which suit they will be allowed to wear.

British hopes in Rejika

Elizabeth Simmonds (17, Olympic backstroke finalist): won a silver medal in the 200 metres backstroke at the World Short-course Championships in April with a European record. Based at Loughborough with Ben Titley, the Great Britain women's head coach, Simmonds is favourite for gold.

Hannah Miley (19, European record-holder over 400 metres medley): claimed the silver medal at the World Short-course Championships behind Kirsty Coventry, who went on to win the Olympic 200 metres backstroke crown in Beijing. Last weekend, the Scot won the Dutch Swim Cup.

Jemma Lowe (18, Olympic butterfly finalist in Beijing): national 100 metres and 200 metres butterfly record-holder. Coached by Graeme Antwhistle in Stockton-on-Tees.

Marco Loughran (19): European junior backstroke champion who missed Olympic selection by a stroke. Spent two years as a permanent resident of Australia, based at Britain's offshore centre on the Gold Coast.

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