Athletics loses some of its attraction when it’s all about the shoes

Obsessed with the sport since I was a kid, I’ve sometimes wondered why I’m so keen on athletics. At the bottom of it, I think, is that it’s a largely fair and objective sport.

The athlete who runs the fastest, throws the furthest or jumps the highest is declared the winner, rewarding the individual who deserves it most.

And while little has changed in terms of jumping and throwing, one crucial aspect is transforming the discipline of running: it’s becoming all about the shoes.

The technological advancements made by running shoe manufacturers in recent years have, quite simply, made athletes much faster, and the brand you’re competing in can make all the difference.

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It’s a similar issue which affected swimming some years ago, when non-textile swimsuits were ultimately banned because it gave some swimmers an unfair advantage.

While there are restrictions in terms of what shoe manufacturers can do, it seems the rules are not stringent enough.

The running shoe industry is massive, and extremely competitive, and sponsors are never going to be limited to one or two brands, so if the shoes are vastly different, it makes the sport more than unfair. It makes it unwatchable.

The fastest athlete, who has worked the hardest and wants it the most, should win the race. Not the athlete with the best shoes.

Incomparable generation

In terms of comparisons, the ongoing shoe saga also separates this generation from those who came before.

Statistically, it has always been interesting to look back at times run over the decades and see how records have progressed. In recent years, however, the lines on those graphs have virtually shot off the charts.

In Berlin last week, Ethiopian athlete Tigist Assefa clocked 2:11:53 to shatter the women’s marathon world record in a pair of Adidas super shoes.

And it is hardly a stretch to suggest that such an incredible time would be nigh impossible if it wasn’t for the equipment she was wearing. She won the world’s fastest marathon by six minutes and, in the end, it wasn’t even a race. We were left to witness a one-dimensional time trial.

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Over a 37-year period between 1980 and 2017, the women’s world record was improved by less than nine minutes (8:40), which indicates how slow progress should be if all is fair and equal. But in the last four years, with shoe manufacturers competing to see who can make the product which provides the most assistance, the record has been lowered by more than five minutes (5:08).

It’s not only in the marathon where this has become an issue (it’s even a concern on the track) and global officials are going to need to draw a stricter line in terms of what is allowed.

If athletics is going to retain fans, it needs to keep some of its purism, and it needs to offer exciting battles between athletes who are relatively equally matched.

Nobody is interested in watching a battle of the shoes.