FOOT FAULT! RULES REVIEW OVER MUIR’S SHOES
WORLD athletics bosses have agreed to review their rules after Laura Muir (right) competed in shoes that could be in breach of their regulations. As Sportsmail revealed last month, the middle-distance star set a new British indoor mile record in what were Nike ‘prototype’ racing spikes when IAAF rules state that ‘any type of shoe used must be reasonably available to all in the spirit of the universality of athletics’. Yesterday the IAAF said they had received a ‘query’ about the shoes from a ‘stakeholder’ and that they would now have to examine their rules to accommodate advances in shoe technology ‘while ensuring that the integrity of competition is protected’. A statement issued by the IAAF yesterday read: ‘In light of a query received from a stakeholder this week, and the recent public speculation about Rule 143.2, which governs competition shoes, the IAAF can confirm that the Technical Committee considered a change in the wording of this rule at its annual meeting in February, and this issue remains under discussion. ‘There is clearly a broad interpretation of the phrase “reasonably available to all” so the IAAF is considering how we can allow for new shoe technology while ensuring that the integrity of competition is protected. The aim is to produce an objective standard which will provide clearer guidance for all. It is the IAAF’s practice to review all rules regularly to ensure they meet thet evolving demands of our sport.’ One major shoe manufacturer toldt this newspaper they were consulting their lawyers with a viewv to making an official complaint — which in turn could lead the IAAF technical committee testing Muir’s spikes and the Nike VaporFly marathon shoes to establish whether they do indeed enhance performance. The IAAF state that shoes ‘must not be constructed so as to give athletes any unfair assistance or advantage’. Nike claim their shoes ‘offer a four per cent advantage’. Evidence has to be provided before shoes may be referred for study, although Sportsmail understands that the VaporFly road shoes were referred last year and that the process is ongoing. It will certainly be interesting to see how that process concludes, given that the shoes were worn by Eliud Kipchoge when he smashed the marathon world record last year.