Press Release - World Athletics - 8/13/20

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                 List of approved competition shoes published

World Athletics has today published the list of approved competition shoes, 
following the amendments to Rule 5 of the Technical Rules announced on 28 
July 2020.

The list has been compiled following introduction of the requirement on 31 
January 2020 that any new shoe that an athlete proposes to wear in 
international competitions needed to be assessed by World Athletics.

The list does not contain every shoe ever worn by an athlete but it does 
include some older models of shoes that manufacturers sent to World 
Athletics for assessment by its independent expert. The position with older 
shoes that are not on the list is that they still need to comply with the 
rule going forward. The athlete, or their representative, will need to 
ensure their older shoe complies with Rule 5.13 in terms of the maximum 
sole thicknesses for their specified event and any inserted plate or blade, 
including spike plates if relevant.

Under Rule 5 of the Technical Rules, athletes (or their representative) 
have the responsibility to provide World Athletics with specifications of 
the new shoes the athlete proposes to wear in competition. World Athletics 
accepts shoe specification and samples submitted by manufacturers for 
further examination.

If there is doubt about a shoe (particularly shoes that no other athlete 
has) then athletes, officials and meeting organisers should first refer to 
the approved list.

If the competition referee has a reasonable suspicion that a shoe worn by 
an athlete might not comply with the rules then at the conclusion of the 
competition the referee may request the shoe be handed over for further 
investigation by World Athletics.

The list of approved shoes will be updated regularly to reflect any new 
information received.

"Transitioning rules is never easy but is significantly harder with the 
current pandemic and the challenges we all face in staging, competing and 
providing kit and equipment during this time. We will continue to 
communicate, clarify and explain the rules and would like to thank our 
athletes, Member Federations, meeting organisers, shoe companies and 
technical officials for working with us to ensure the rules are understood 
and adhered to and, when this is not possible, that we resolve issues 
quickly, consistently and compassionately within the framework of the 
rules," said World Athletics CEO, Jon Ridgeon.

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