The great swimsuit debate continues. According to a report by the Associated Press, Speedo is considering whether it will allow its sponsored swimmers to wear rival manufacturers’ new high-tech suits.
"The brand is continuing to evaluate the situation internally," said Speedo Vice President for Marketing Craig Brommers.
Last year, it was Speedo causing swimmers to rethink which brand they wore. The introduction of Speedo’s LZR Racer suit triggered a flurry of new swimming world records. Now, other companies are making suits that could help swimmers go even faster.
Nike let its swimmers wear Speedo’s LZR swimsuit last year, then later bowed out of the elite competitive swimsuit business. The Japanese Swimming Federation ignored its contract with three domestic swimsuit makers to allow its swimmers to wear Speedo’s suits.
Speedo’s large roster of sponsored swimmers includes Michael Phelps and Natalie Coughlin of the US and Australia’s Grant Hackett. It is perhaps unlikely that such high profile swimmers shall switch to competitor brands.
However, at the highest level of national and international swimming competition, every second counts. Even if Speedo does not give its long roster of elite swimmers the go-ahead to use other companies’ suits, swimmers still could switch suits and risk the consequences.
