Why are full-body swimsuits banned at Paris Olympics? Everything about Speedo's LZR suits Michael Phelps once wore which led to the ban

By Riddhi Acharya

Modified Jul 29, 2024 15:34 GMT

Full-body swimsuits are banned at the Paris Olympics to create a more even playing field for all swimmers. While the suits were created in the early 2000s, they were banned only in 2009 after Michael Phelps and his fellow swimmer's record-breaking performances at the Beijing Olympics.

The full-body swimsuits first appeared at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where almost all competitors sported suits that covered all body parts except their feet, hands, and head. Four years later, most of the gold medalists at the 2004 Athens Games were wearing Speedo's Fastskin suit, but the revolution truly began at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

After the Athens Games, Speedo collaborated with NASA in a bid to design a swimsuit that would reduce drag. The result of their partnership was the LZR Racer which was made of polyurethane material and featured ultrasonically welded seams and a zipper. The suit’s design also compressed a swimmer’s body into a streamlined tube that sometimes trapped air, leading to improved buoyancy and reduced drag.

The LZR racer was an immediate success, with swimmers sporting the full-body swimsuit breaking 13 world records in just a month. At the Beijing Olympics, 98 percent of medal winners in swimming competitions won while wearing a LZR Racer, while 23 of the 25 world records broken at those Games were achieved by swimmers in the suit.

Additionally, Michael Phelps wore a version of the suit for seven of the eight world records at the Beijing Olympics.

Post the LZR Racer’s unbelievable success, FINA, the international governing body of the sport, banned full-body swimsuits to prevent technological doping. The ban on these suits also ensured an even playing ground for all swimmers as the cost of these suits was sky-high, making them inaccessible for many.

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Have world records fallen since the era of the full-body swimsuits?

During the time of the full body swimsuit era, many fans and swimming veterans expressed concern over the fact that the world records set using that specific piece of equipment would prove to be infallible.

However, swimming world records have continued to fall since even after the ban on suits in 2009. Most notably, none of Michael Phelps’ individual records from the Beijing Olympics still stand, with the last one to fall being the 400m individual medley.