As Swimming Records Fall, Should We Doubt?
by oiler on Tuesday, August 12th, 2008 at 4:04pm
Sunday’s well publicized ‘best ever’ relay race featured five teams that broke the standing world record for that event.
These professional swimmers we have around the world, like Michael Phelps, are setting new standards for what it means to be the best.
And given our history with baseball and cycling, etc, it’s easy to just simply say these athletes are doing things to their bodies that enhance their performance.
I have gone around and joked privately about how I couldn’t wait until three years from now when the US Congress begins hearings on the 2008 Olympic ‘doping’ scandal.
But that may not just be the case.
Take, for instance, this NY Times article detailing the technological advances in swimming - and why that may the end of reasoning as to why these records are falling the way they are.
No one piece can be excerpted that retains it message, but it’s short so read the whole thing.
Performance enhancing within one’s body should be against the rules. Performance enhancing outside the body should allowed into the discussion, regulated, and embraced when approved.
It’s quite simple really. If there’s something out there that creates a decision for athletes to choose between doing something unusual or abnormal to their body that may hurt them later one day, but would be required to allow them to to compete at the highest level now, that’s where the line should be drawn.
But if making a bigger pool or and better swimsuit gives up such exciting performances as what we saw Sunday night - and there’s truly nothing more to it - then let there be annual professional swimming championship in our homes!