• Dominant footwear will be allowed by World Athletics • No fresh technologies to be permitted until after Tokyo 2020World Athletics will not be imposing a blanket ban on the controversial hi-tech Nike Vaporflys that have transformed athletics when it announces its long-awaited decision on shoe technology on Friday, the Guardian understands. Such has been the Vaporflys’ dominance in recent years that athletes wearing them claimed 31 of the 36 podium positions in the six world marathon majors in 2019. It is understood that these shoes – which are said to contain three carbon plates and improve running economy by 8% – have not yet been submitted to World Athletics experts for inspection. Crucially, however, World Athletics is expected to rule all shoes currently on the market which use hi-tech technology will remain legal. There will also be no restrictions on certain types of foam or the use of carbon plates.

Source: The Guardian January 28, 2020 22:30 UTC