The American, winner of four gold medals during her career, said world governing body FINA needs to act quickly to get rid of suits that aid buoyancy, a trend that began with the Speedo LZR Racer and has continued with attire produced by companies such as Arena and Jaked, which have suits that are 100 per cent polyurethane.

Evans claimed there should be some mention in the record book of marks set before buoyancy aiding suits were allowed in the sport, while not taking away the records set by swimmers in the current attire.

Such a move would restore recognition for one of her records, a 19-year-old mark in the 800 metres freestyle that fell to Adlington in a LZR at the Beijing Olympics last year.

Evans said: "Basically, it's technical doping."

She even claimed that what the modern swimmers were doing was similar to what happened in the former East Germany, when their competitors were part of a state-sponsored doping programme.

Evans said: "It's different but similar.

"I always believe the East German women were doing what they were trained to do.

"I'm not going to say it was the right thing, but they worked hard and did their best.

"They were just pawns of the state.

"You can't necessarily cut them out of the record book.

"That never made sense to me.

"I thought those women still needed a little credit."

Evans' comments follow a threat yesterday by Michael Phelps, the 14-time Olympic champion, not to swim competitively again until a ban on the suits comes into effect some time next year.

A staggering 22 world marks have already been set through the first four days of this year's World Championships in Rome, with four days of competition still remaining.

Fifteen marks were set at the last worlds in 2007 and 25 records fell at the 2008 Olympics.

Adlington (pictured) has refused to upgrade her LZR racer to one of the new generations of suits for the World Championships because she claimed that they are the same as doping.

On Sunday, the Mansfield was beaten into third place in the 400m freestyle Italy's Federica Pellegrini, who was wearing a polyurethane suit manufactured by Jaked.

Evans said: "It's kind of hard to watch.

"I go online in the morning and I laugh.

"I actually find myself laughing.

"It's so out of control.

"We need to kind of start over again.

"But I don't think we need to take away from what the athletes have done now.

"They're out there racing and swimming and doing the best they can.

"It's similar to me and the East Germans."

Evans reserved her harshest comments for FINA, saying it should put the swimmers' interests first and quit catering to swimsuit companies that are mainly concerned with improving their share of the marketplace.

She recently completed a stint with the organisation as chair of the athletes commission and said many of her suggestions "fell on deaf ears".

Evans said: "The fact that FINA can do this is making a mockery of these times and these swimmers.

"It doesn't put the athletes first, and that's the most important thing at the end of the day."