Time Out by Simon_Doyle

So when is a record not a record? Perhaps when it's wind assisted, drug-assisted, or in some cases on a downhill course, but how about when technology has played a major hand? 

You see, British swimmer Mark Foster has called for all world records set since 2007 to be wiped from the history books, claiming that the performance-enhancing suits make the swimming records "not credible". 

Foster has said that FINA should go back to the summer of 2007 to the 'pre-shiny suit' era and use the records that stood then. An amazing 230 world records have been set since first controversial body suit the Speedo LZR appeared. 

But how much is down to the suit and how much is down to the swimmer? Foster's view is that the hi-tech suits are the equivalent of technology in F1 where the team with the best car generally wins, rather than it being due to the champion being the best driver.

You only have to see how the once mighty Michael Phelps lost his air of invincibility in the recent World Championships in Rome because he was wearing the now positively disadvantageous Speedo LZR Racer, which has since been overtaken by other manufacturer's swimsuits. 

What most people are agreed on is that swimming should go back to a level playing field, so that's skimpy briefs all round then for both male and females. That should keep the spectators happy, even if the swimmers may feel more than a little exposed. (...and to think that Alton Towers have banned the skimpies) 

If you take Foster's idea that records should be wiped, does this then mean that you take cycling records back to pre-carbon fibre days, or that you rewind the clock and records to the days when runner's spikes weighed as much as a Doc Martin?

Technological advances bring improvements in performance, and unlike swimming where a clearly defined period can be identified when new radical swimsuits came into play, other sports do not quite have definite cut off point where technology was arguably making the improvement rather than the athlete. Norris McWhirter and Roy Castle would have their work cut out dealing with all this lot wouldn't they?