The swimming hero of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Michael Phelps, suffered his first major individual defeat in four years at the World Swimming Championships in Rome in the 200m freestyle.  He lost to the little known German swimmer, Paul Biedermann, who was wearing a 100% Polyurethane swimming suit.  He also smashed the world record.  Since wearing this hi-tech outfit, Biedermann has improved on his personal best in the 400m freestyle by almost seven and a half seconds.  As a result of Biedermann’s rapid improvement, Phelps’ coach has threatened to pull the multi gold-winning Olympian out of all major championships until the Polyurethane swimming suit is banned.  FINA, the sport’s governing body, have allowed the use of the hi-tech outfits.  Britain’s Jo Jackson and Rebecca Adlington won a silver and bronze behind the Italian, Federica Pellegrini in the 400m freestyle.  The gold medallist was wrapped in a polyurethane suit, the pair of Brits weren’t.

Why haven’t FINA blocked the technology advance in the pool?  If the science accelerates with the design of swimming outfits we might as well have manufacturers placing their latest outfits in catapults under the water, unleash them and see what costume touches the wall first.  They’ll be no need for swimmers.

This technology advance is spoiling other sports too.  Lewis Hamilton won the Hungarian grand prix last weekend.  He’s had a terrible season so far and it was a surprise to many that he climbed to the top of the podium.  But was this new found success due to him being a better driver?  No.  Hamilton himself said it was due to the work put in by all the engineers, computer experts, wheel technicians and everybody else that contributes to a Formula 1 car being placed on the starting grid.  Jenson Button leads the Formula 1 championship with Mark Webber in second place.  Lewis Hamilton trails in eighth place but these positions have nothing to do with the drivers.  It depends on how good your car is.  The technicians and engineers might as well race the cars on remote control and just allow the drivers to appear on bank commercials.   In their spare time perhaps they can earn extra money by assisting at go-kart tracks.

The march of technology is affecting many other sports.  In cricket, batsman wielding these new super bats can now hit a cricket ball out of a stadium and into orbit.  In golf, the raw power of Tiger Woods has been negated by these new super-tech driving clubs that allow anyone to drive a ball from the cliffs of Dover to the port of Calais.

It is time to reign in technology in sport and if it is allowed to flourish, sport will not be as we know it.