At the 2009 World Aquatics Championships in Rome, enforcement of swimsuit regulations became a focal point when a competitor was disqualified for wearing a suit deemed illegal under the rules then in force. The incident took place amid a broader controversy over high-technology swimsuits that had dominated elite swimming since their introduction in the mid-2000s. Background: In the years before 2009, manufacturers produced full-body polyurethane and other high-tech suits that conferred measurable performance advantages. Those suits coincided with a rapid series of world records and stirred debate among athletes, coaches, and governing bodies. FINA (the international federation for aquatic sports) responded by tightening rules on swimsuit construction and coverage, producing specifications that limited materials, buoyancy, thickness and the extent to which suits could cover the body. The 2009 Championships: At the Rome championships, officials were charged with enforcing those equipment rules on the world’s top competitors. During the meet, at least one athlete was identified by officials as wearing a swimsuit that did not comply with FINA’s regulations. The result was a disqualification for the affected swimmer from the event in question. The disqualification altered race results and contributed to the tense atmosphere around compliance and inspection procedures. Aftermath and significance: The disqualification in Rome highlighted ongoing tensions over technology in sport and the challenges of consistent rule enforcement at major events. The episode fed into the larger context that led FINA to implement a ban on non-textile suits and to tighten suit specifications further in 2010, rules intended to preserve fairness and the integrity of competition. The 2009 controversies and subsequent rule changes had lasting effects on elite swimming, with many observers noting a slowdown in record-breaking after the new rules took effect. Reporting and records: Contemporary news coverage of the Rome championships emphasized the number of suits under scrutiny and the high-profile nature of compliance checks; official meet results and FINA communications from the period record disqualifications and rule clarifications. Because reporting varied by event and outlet, some details about specific athletes and races involved in individual equipment disqualification incidents were reported differently in different sources. Where athlete identities or race-level specifics were in dispute, official results lists and FINA statements provide the authoritative record. Legacy: The 2009 disqualification(s) remain part of the broader narrative about the technological arms race in swimming. They are cited in histories of the sport as an inflection point prompting stricter regulation of swimwear, as governing bodies sought to ensure that records and medals reflected athletic performance rather than equipment advantages.