A big debate is going on over the swimsuits being worn by the Australians at the national titles and Olympic trials this week.

Performance enhancing is the problem, with some experts saying that it could quicken times by 0.1 or 0.2 of a second and others saying possibly even more.

It is an interesting debate, but as long as the suits are deemed legal, as they have been, that probably should be it.

Imagine if all sports were looked at.

Take golf, for instance. Give the professionals smaller balls and wooden clubs and see if they could hit at as far as their predecessors.

In tennis, downsize the huge head of the racquet and give the players the teaspoon-size wooden racquets with cat gut and see how they go.

Or what about cricket? Send them out only with a pair of pads, a box and an old bat and see what it’s like.

It is just progress but it should highlight that we all should be very careful comparing athletes from different eras.

Anyway, I couldn’t care if local stars Nick D’Arcy, Samantha Hamill and Melanie Schlanger swam down the pool in Spiderman suits, or if Clint Robinson had an outboard or Alana Boyd’s pole wasn’t regulation, it was great to see them all make the Olympic team with such fantastic performances.

I must add that it is great to see that D’Arcy has stuck with his coach Brian Stehr all the way through.

I am sure there has been some temptation to head for the bright lights. It is a true testament to their relationship and a magnificent achievement.

Also, no thanks to Channel Nine, which didn’t show Tuesday night’s action.

Pay TV viewers got to see our local boy, which makes me wonder what will happen come the Olympics.

As for the boycott debate, I was disgusted when Kevin Gosper from the IOC commented that China’s humanitarian standards had improved. Who is he kidding?

But I think some athletes had it right when they said if we stop trading with China, then they will support a boycott.

Give refs more power

The video referee should get his marching orders if last Friday night’s “no try” decision against the Roosters is going to be the level of quality for this season.

Now I couldn’t care less whether the Roosters won or not, except that I badly needed the points in the tipping comp.

I reckon put it back in the hands of the referee and let him decide on instinct rather than dissecting it 50 times and coming up with the wrong answer.

Howard’s way

Howard Cameron leads an interesting sporting life.

Last year he was taking the ball up for the FOGs Cup rugby league side and this year he is taking care of the players off the field in his role as a chiropractor.

Howard has a keen interest in all sports and today, to coincide with the Mooloolaba Tri Festival, he has a free clinic between 10am and noon at his Ecolife Clinic Mooloolaba, where he has four of the top triathletes answering questions from the floor on training, nutrition and other topics.

You can contact Howard on 5478 2333.