Nike’s Vaporfly won’t be banned but new regulations will be implemented

This appeared in The Millennial Source

Nike’s Vaporfly line of running shoes will not be banned following an investigation into whether the shoes provide runners with an unfair advantage in competitions.

Nevertheless, World Athletics is introducing stricter regulations for how high technology running shoes are used in professional sports.

Their ruling states that any shoe using technology developed after April 30 will now need to be out on the market for at least four months before a professional athlete is allowed to compete in it.

World Athletics has also introduced an indefinite ban on any shoes that have a sole thicker than 40mm.

Record breakers all wore shoes with new technology

Last year, 31 of the 36 athletes who placed in the top three in major marathons wore footwear with new technology, including Nike’s Vaporfly.

Last October, Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge became the first person to run a 26.2 mile marathon (42.2km) in under two hours. He was wearing a Nike prototype, the Alphafly, which will now be banned under the new regulations as they feature soles thicker than 40mm.