Clifford Roberts, attorney for CA-based swimsuit
manufacturer Tyr Sport, "alleged in [a] grievance filed with
USA Swimming that Speedo used its market dominance to
orchestrate" a ban on bodysuits at the U.S. Olympic Trials,
which was overturned "just hours before the grievance
hearing," according to Jan Norman of the ORANGE COUNTY
REGISTER, who profiled the "fierce" competition among
swimsuit companies. Roberts wrote in a letter to the USOC
that 90% of the competitors at the Trials are "sponsored by
Speedo or are on teams that are." Roberts added, "Speedo
has had problems in manufacturing its [Fastskin] full-body
suit, and it told the USA Swimming ... that it would not be
ready to supply full-body suits to all competitors desiring
them in time for the Olympics Trials." While USA Swimming
initially banned the suits "on the grounds that enough of
them weren't available," Tyr and adidas "informed the
organization that they could supply every swimmer," and Tyr
"even offered the suits for free." But Tyr co-Founder Steve
Furniss said Speedo "didn't want its sponsored athletes
wearing another company's suits." Roberts added that "many
of the directors who voted for the ban are coaches or
athletes who are or at one time were" sponsored by Speedo.
But Speedo VP/Sales & Marketing Stu Isaac said, "If I were
smart enough to orchestrate the controversy, I should get a
raise." Isaac added that the "controversy" around the
bodysuits has "actually benefited all the manufacturers."
Isaac: "With the controversy, people paid more attention,
which has made our job easier." Furniss added the Olympics
are "very important [for the company]. There aren't many
times when a smaller company can showcase its technology and
change the thinking of the sport" (O.C. REGISTER, 8/9).
