With the recent banning of Speedo’s LZR sharkskin-inspired speedsuits and the exposure of possible steroid use by Boston Red Sox baseball player David Ortiz, it raises an exciting question: What role does design play in the evolution of sport?

Michael Phelps’ eight Olympic gold medals is a record that may never be broken, all set while wearing Speedo’s suit. The suit is modeled after the drag-resistant texture of sharkskin and compresses the swimmer’s body in key areas. Though Olympic records are falling, most world-class swimmers have access to the suits — is this an unfair advantage or an enhanced design?

Andy Roddick hits tennis balls fast. 153 MPH fast. Speeds like these were unheard of in the days of Rod Laver and wooden tennis racquets. Nowadays it is commonplace for men and women on the professional tour to be serving well above 100 MPH. Now that graphite, titanium and ceramic composites are routinely used for weight reduction and enhanced rigidity, even beginners have the opportunity to use something much improved over the tennis racquets of yore. But are the racquets improved or is the game just different?

400-yard drives on the golf course? Not before monster-sized titanium club heads.
Track spikes that are lighter than a slice of 7-grain bread? Not just for Olympians anymore.

Why should full-body swimsuits be any different?

Can a shoe be too light? Can a ski have too much spring?

Should altering an athlete’s equipment be any different than altering an athlete’s body? What is “ethical” body-altering? How about Red Bull energy drink? Can an athlete with a super-reconstructed knee jump higher or cut quicker than one without? How “able” should an athlete be? How soon will it be before athletes intentionally integrate prostheses or have healthy joints and limbs replaced with titanium ones before the original is worn out?

What is “performance enhancing design”? Few groups are asking and acting upon such questions — certainly there are lots of terrific opportunities to evolve sport and enable our bodies to push the limits of sport, but within what ethical boundaries? And how can (or should) design enhance such experiences?