There was a lot of discussion in the stands at this weekend's NJ YMCA State Championships about the use of the Blue Seventy wetsuit in competitive swimming. I heard lots of talk of possible bans of this neoprene wetsuit that is designed for triathlons and open water swimming, not competitive swimming. Does anybody know if it's true that YMCA National is going to ban this suit soon? Does anybody know if the suit will be allowed at Nationals in April?

FINA has just promulgated rules which are binding on USA Swimming, and therefore on the YMCA - which follows USAS rules - which ultimately (by the end of the year) will judge whether the Blue Seventy gives an unfair advantage.  Unfortunately, this judgment will not be made by the time of this year's Y Nats, and thus times and rankings by swimmers wearing them will be open to question until FINA makes its final determinations.  The sport has just not been able to keep up with technological innovation, and this year's Y Nats may just have to account for that.  The Y, following USAS technical rules, which in turn is bound by FINA, can really do little else.