Swimming: Australians to wear in-flight masks to help combat jet lag

Australia's Commonwealth Games swimming team will take to the air today wearing face masks that would scare the sharks away from Bondi Beach.

Each member of the team has been issued with special masks and decompression pants designed to cut down on jet lag during their flight to Europe. The Australians fly directly to Germany today for an eight-day, pre-Games training camp.

According to the swimming team's high performance director, Greg Hodge, the masks – called "humidi-flyers" – will help reduce dehydration during the flight while the "jet skin" pants, worn under trousers, would assist circulation. Hodge said long-haul flight conditions are as hard on an athlete's body as altitude training which causes blood pressure and heart rates to rise. "When you are flying, the altitude that's simulated in the plane's cabin is 2,400m. That's like training at Colorado Springs," Hodge said.

Explaining how the face mask works, Hodge said: "They capture the vapour that's normally lost in the air when you breathe so, basically, you're breathing back in your own moisture. They are a clear mask that goes over the nose and mouth and they have a little bowl on the bottom which captures the moisture. The more they wear them on the flight the better they will be at the other end."

Reaction from the swimmers has been mixed. The world 1500m freestyle record holder, Grant Hackett, rates it a smart idea, because the masks could also provide protection against in-flight viruses. But two of the younger swimmers are apprehensive about how the masks look.

"If there's no cameras on board, maybe [I'll wear one] – I'm still considering," said Giaan Rooney, the world 200m freestyle champion. Her 16-year-old team-mate Leisel Jones was also undecided. "We'll see. If it helps then I guess we'd better use them," she said.

Robin Francis has been forced to withdraw from Team England. After consultation with his doctor, the 20-year-old Bath swimmer has been diagnosed as suffering from extreme fatigue.

The Borders flanker Ross Ford has had a surprise call-up to the Scotland Sevens squad after the Kelso forward Adam Roxburgh was ruled out after injuring his knee in training.

Ford, 18, usually a blindside flanker, but sometimes a No 8 and openside flanker, has captained both South and Scotland at Under-16 level and has represented Scotland Under-18s in the Four Nations Tournament.