By MARK FLEMING

Last updated at 21:42 29 March 2008

A revolutionary bodysuit that British swimmers hope will help them power to medals at the Beijing Olympics could be banned.

The skintight Speedo LZR Racer costume, which was developed with help from Nasa scientists, has been worn in 16 world record-breaking swims in just six weeks since its launch, and now swimmers are clamouring to try it.

But the sport's governing body is worried that, because it apparently helps swimmers go faster, wearing it could constitute cheating.

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Impressed: British hope Caitlin in the suit

Speedo sponsors the British team and our swimmers can test the super-suit at this week's Olympic trials in Sheffield, where all 700 hopefuls for the team will have the opportunity to wear one.

Caitlin McClatchey, 22, who won two gold medals at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, is one of Britain's brightest hopes and has already tried the costume.

She said: "I just dived in and it felt like I was gliding for ever. It was really effortless through the water."

The LZR Racer, which Speedo spent £2million developing, works like an old-fashioned corset, squeezing a swimmer's body into the sleekest shape possible.

It is coated in water-resistant Teflon and welded together ultrasonically, meaning it has no noticeable seams.

Swimming's governing body Fina are to meet with Speedo executives next month in Manchester to decide whether the £320 costume is legal.

They have already given the suit the all-clear once, but the sheer volume of records that have been smashed in recent weeks is making them think again.

Fina executive director Cornel Marculescu said: "There are buoyancy issues. We have to review this."

Speedo's suit, however, faces competition. The company's biggest rival Arena unveiled its new Powerskin R-Evolution suit a week ago and claims it can knock half a second off a swimmer's time over just 50 metres.

Giuseppe Musciacchio, global marketing director of Arena, said: "I am very confident ours will prove to be just as effective. It will be a great race between Speedo and Arena."

But even some of the swimmers who benefit from the science are worried that their sport is being overwhelmed by technology.

South Africa's gold medal Olympian Roland Schoeman, who is sponsored by Arena, said: "It is going to be a technological battle come the Olympics.

"It would be great if the final of the Olympics could be just people and their talent and a true testament to an individual's work ethic and ability, rather than wearing a suit to correct imperfections.

"But it's not going to happen. It would be like Tiger Woods saying he wanted to go back to a wooden driver."

One consolation for British swimmers if the Speedo suit is banned is that their medal rivals will also be unable to wear it.

The world's top swimmer, Michael Phelps of the US, is hoping to win an unprecedented eight golds in Beijing, and is intending to wear one of the suits.

He said of Speedo's creation: "When I hit the water, I feel like a rocket."

And Australian Libby Trickett, who broke the 100m freestyle world record in the suit on Thursday, said: "It feels like I'm swimming downhill."