Clockwise from top left: Nike Air Zoom Alphafly, Nike Air Zoom Victory, Nike Air Zoom Tempo, and Nike Air Zoom Viperfly.PHOTO: NIKE

The shoe controversy continues. This fine piece puts much of the furor into perspective. This furor is not over. Excellent piece by Khadeeja Safdar and Rachel Bachman.

Nike Alphafly Sneakers Will Also Avoid Olympic Ban

Next generation of Vaporfly technology that sparked a crackdown will go on limited sale at end of month, making them eligible for Tokyo Games

By Khadeeja Safdar and Rachel Bachman

Updated Feb. 5, 2020 3:26 pm ET

In a crackdown on running sneakers spurred by high-tech Nikes, a clear winner is emerging: Nike Inc.

New restrictions introduced last week by track and field’s world governing body didn’t just spare the company’s controversial Vaporfly sneakers from a ban. They also set the requirements at levels that allow the next generation of Nike distance-running shoes to sneak just under the limits.

Nike said its Air Zoom Alphafly Next%, a prototype of which Eliud Kipchoge wore in October to run a marathon in less than two hours, falls within the new requirements. Two of the company’s new designs, which will be released later in the spring, will also likely be eligible for competition before the Tokyo Games, giving Nike’s performance-boosting shoes the broad blessing of international authorities while its rivals scramble to get similar sneakers to market.

To read this excellent piece in its entirety, please go to: https://www-wsj-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.wsj.com/amp/articles/nike-alphafly-sneakers-will-also-avoid-olympic-ban-11580929200

Author

Larry Eder
Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys. Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."
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