Highsnobiety

Reports suggest that Nike’s premiere running shoe, the Vaporfly Next%, could be banned when the World Athletics commission announces new regulations pertaining to running shoes used in official competitions.

The model was the subject of controversy late last year when reports of a possible ban first emerged, and has been under scrutiny following complaints by non-Nike-sponsored athletes, who claimed that the shoes gave Nike athletes an unfair advantage in competitions.

The shoes were last worn by Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei, who broke Paula Radcliffe’s women’s marathon record last year with a time of 2:14:04 in Chicago. The new record bested Radcliffe’s 2003 time by a whopping 81 seconds.

Kenyan runner Eliud Kipchoge is another athlete that regularly wears shoes from Nike’s Vaporfly range, and became the first person to run a marathon under two hours, beating the mark by 20 seconds in Vienna last October, though this feat was not be recognized as an official record. This was because it was not in open competition and he used a team of pacemakers.

Nike’s Vaporfly range controversially utilizes extra thick midsoles with fluid chambers and carbon plates that act like springs, propelling the runner forward. As The Times reports, the technology’s effectiveness has forced World Athletics to appoint a panel of experts to investigate the products and rules, in an attempt to conclude whether the shoes provide an unfair advantage.

Because the shoes are usually released in highly-limited quantities — and the exact shoes worn by Kipchoge and other runners are usually prototypes — The Times reports that the shoes don’t fall within regulations because they are not “available to all.” In addition, it’s widely expected that World Athletics will introduce new parameters with regards to sneaker design that shoe manufacturers won’t be allowed to exceed.

It’s worth noting that the records set by athletes who wore these shoes will likely be allowed to stand, due to precedent. As Highsnobiety outlined previously, Speedo brought a patented “LZR” full-body swimsuit to the Beijing Olympics in 2008, a swimsuit that increased buoyancy and decreased drag. As a result, 25 world records were set in Beijing, 24 of which were set in a LZR suit. Subsequently, full-body suits were eventually banned in competition by FINA (Fédération internationale de natation, the swimming version of the IAAF), but those records still stand today.

Should World Athletics ban Nike’s Vaporfly sneakers, it raises the question of where the line is drawn between technological advancement and unfair advantages, and whether that is something that needs to be regulated.

Stay tuned for updates regarding this story.

We Recommend
  • Stussy & Nike's yellow mesh waffle running shoe
    Stüssy & Nike Are Waffling Over Running Shoes (or Not)
    • Sneakers
  • most comfortable sneakers
    The Most Comfortable Sneakers & Where to Buy Them
    • Style
  • waterproof shoes
    Wet Weather Is No Match for These Waterproof Shoes
    • Sneakers
  • hiking shoes
    These Hiking Sneakers Combine Style and Substance
    • Style
  • Release information for Supreme's Nike Courtposite has been announced.
    Supreme's Nike Courtposite Is Proof That Good Things Come In Threes
    • Sneakers
  • Image on Highsnobiety
What To Read Next
  • Nike air max wallet
    This Ain't an Air Max Sneaker. It's Nike's Newest Accessory
    • Sneakers
  • nike air max day 2024 releases
    Nike Air Max Day 2024: Everything Air Lovers Need to Know
    • Sneakers
  • Yayoi Kusama x Louis Vuitton
    In an Era of Collaboration Saturation, How Do Brands Stand Out?
    • Style
  • END. x HOKA sneaker collaboration 2024.
    Can Anyone Stop HOKA?
    • Sneakers
  • Willy Chavarria FW24 Parfums de Marly
    For FW24, Fashion Got Fragrant
    • Beauty
  • comme des garcons new balance 610 snaekers
    COMME des GARÇONS' Dropping the Perfect New Balance Slip-On
    • Sneakers
*If you submitted your e-mail address and placed an order, we may use your e-mail address to inform you regularly about similar products without prior explicit consent. You can object to the use of your e-mail address for this purpose at any time without incurring any costs other than the transmission costs according to the basic tariffs. Each newsletter contains an unsubscribe link. Alternatively, you can object to receiving the newsletter at any time by sending an e-mail to info@highsnobiety.com

Web Accessibility Statement

Titel Media GmbH (Highsnobiety), is committed to facilitating and improving the accessibility and usability of its Website, www.highsnobiety.com. Titel Media GmbH strives to ensure that its Website services and content are accessible to persons with disabilities including users of screen reader technology. To accomplish this, Titel Media GmbH tests, remediates and maintains the Website in-line with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which also bring the Website into conformance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Disclaimer

Please be aware that our efforts to maintain accessibility and usability are ongoing. While we strive to make the Website as accessible as possible some issues can be encountered by different assistive technology as the range of assistive technology is wide and varied.

Contact Us

If, at any time, you have specific questions or concerns about the accessibility of any particular webpage on this Website, please contact us at accessibility@highsnobiety.com, +49 (0)30 235 908 500. If you do encounter an accessibility issue, please be sure to specify the web page and nature of the issue in your email and/or phone call, and we will make all reasonable efforts to make that page or the information contained therein accessible for you.