Originally posted by stevevidar
What the AIDA should do is a better job publishing that there is no evidence that Sambas and even short-term black outs are unhealthy and the sport of freediving has some real health benefits.
Its like we are trying to hide a part of sport just because the general public may not understand it, when they are going to see it anyway. So we should be honest about how we feel about it.
Steve
I second Steve’s argument!
Why are we trying to hide a LMC or BO?
If you see a summary of a formula one race you will see all the accidents, because this is what the spectators want to see.
If you are honest, even most freedivers find the only interesting thing in a static competition are the BO, and the LMC’s are even funny – this sounds cruel but freedivers knowing that this is perfectly safe and common, see the funny aspect of some spectacular LMC. Nothing wrong with that – is it?
Although I definitely agree that the LMC and BO rule should change, I want and have to support Aida by saying that the rules are quite clear and the judging seems very objective to me. I strongly disagree to many opinions that people where judged DQ because of blue(black) lips or strange looks. Those signs are sometimes the only thing one can see on a video clearly, but not the reason for DQ!
I have seen many athletes being DQ which claim they have not been even close to their limit, but it was more then clear to me that it was definitely a LMC or even a BO according to Aida rules. It is NOT that one just looks bad! There are small clear signs, which (most of the time) show a LMC and are a lot different from shivering or balance problems. One can not see those small but clear signs of LMC without having seen many many LMC live!
On one hand there are usually one or two judges who have not seen too many DQ before – how should they know those small signs of LMC and how do you want to explain other less experienced freedivers why they were DQ, if those signs are not distinguishable without a lot of experience.
I think most protests for DQ where given OK, because one could not see it on the video, not because the performance was OK.
How the heck do you explain a LMC to the Public?
My 8’07” static DQ in Ibiza was on TV many times in Austria (more often the any other dive), with the commend that I was DQ because of blinking with my eyes. Many people couldn’t understand the DQ even after me trying to explain. Most non freedivers even thought (were laughing) what stupid, childish,…. rules this sport has.
I saw a new freediver being DQ, who is absolutely sure his dive was OK. Even after me explaining to him that it is hard to see, but still clear, he was very pissed off for a long time. He and a lot of others are so scared to be DQ that they just stare straight at the judges like frozen, because the think any suspect movement could be judged as a LMC.
According to the current rules I have seen a lot more performances which actually should have been DQ.
Depending on the conditions (waves) one could have a small LMC or not. More drastically, I could clearly see a LMC (2 contractions) in the muscle between the neck and the shoulder of and Aida judge. He was not DQ because of less experienced judges, but if he would have worn a suit (which he didn’t) nobody could have seen that anyway.
I think the rules should be a lot less strict. Even though I don’t think a LMC is desirable, it is no solution to say a mild LMC is OK. The only clear thing is LMC yes or no. I don’t see any safety problem in saying, if you can make it without help, it is OK. Even the rule (which is not yet implied, I think) that the face has to stay above the surface, seems to be to strict. I had a dive without fins where I was shortly sinking back in the water after surfacing, because of not wearing fins. There was nobody helping be, because it was clear that everything was OK, why should something like that be DQ? Even if someone inexperienced waits until it is clear that the athlete needs help, I doubt there will be any risk.
I don’t understand all that hyper-safety thoughts only going in a few directions. I think it is a lot more important to talk about the use of 100% O2 after deep dives, functional safety lines, lights in dark lakes …, those things really kill. I find it hard to believe that tinted goggles ore nose clips are live threatening.
