Swimsuit Battle Heads to Court

Rival company claims Speedo too chummy with sport's leaders
By Katherine Thompson,  Newser Staff
Posted May 16, 2008 12:24 PM CDT
Swimsuit Battle Heads to Court
In this Feb. 12, 2008 file photo, Olympic gold medalist and world record holder Michael Phelps poses in a Speedo LZR racer swimsuit following a news conference introducing the high technology suit.    (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)

Swimwear maker TYR Sport has filed suit against rival Speedo, alleging that the maker of the much-touted LZR Racer has an inappropriately close relationship with the sport's governing body. "There's a big issue with a lot of the comments out there coming through USA Swimming and (coach) Mark Schubert about the relative merits of the LZR suit," a TYR attorney tells the AP.

TYR is not questioning the quality of the LZR, in which 37 world records have been broken in three months. It alleges that Schubert has made disparaging remarks about other suits and has as good as recommended that athletes break their contracts with rival companies. TYR claims damages of over a half million dollars. (More Speedo stories.)

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