Posted: November 4, 2005

Athletics: Spira Footwear Launches 'Banned in Boston' Protest Against Governing Bodies of Track and Field

NEW YORK, Nov. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Spira Footwear today launched its "Banned in Boston" protest and announced that it is offering a $1 million prize to any male or female runner who can win the 2006 Boston Marathon in a banned pair of Spira brand shoes. Spira Footwear made its announcement at Tavern on the Green restaurant -- located just yards from the finish line of Sunday's New York City Marathon -- a race where no elite runner will wear Spira shoes due to its "banned" status.

Spira Footwear (www.spirafootwear.com) launched its protest campaign featuring what would be the largest pay out in the history of professional running to bring attention to what it feels is an unfair and unjust rule by the governing bodies of Track and Field -- the International Amateur Athletic Federation and USA Track and Field. Both the IAAF and USATF have adopted a rule that bans spring technology in footwear, including Spira's WaveSpring (TM) technology, in competition. IAAF and USATF rule 143(3)(a) states:

"A competitor may compete in bare feet or with footwear on one or both feet. The purpose of shoes is to give protection and stability to the feet and a firm grip of the ground. Such shoes, however, must not be constructed so as to give the competitor an additional assistance and no spring or device of any kind may be incorporated in the shoe."

"We are attempting to bring attention to an outdated and unfair rule," said Spira Footwear CEO Andy Krafsur. "There should be no prohibition against the use of shoes like these in competition."

Spira is even developing a special lightweight running shoe just for the marathon, spearheaded by Dan Norton, Spira's VP of footwear development. Norton was formerly the head of the advanced concepts department at Adidas, and made custom shoes for 45 Olympic and world champions including Sebastian Coe and Carl Lewis when he worked at Nike.

"I have worked in the footwear industry for over 30 years and Spira's WaveSpring technology is the first true innovation that I have seen since basically the Nike air," Norton said. "The WaveSpring patent is the reason why I proactively joined the company."

Since debuting on the market four years ago, Spira Footwear has been providing runners with comfort and protection from injury. Spira shoes have a patented spring technology that reduces the impact on a runner's feet, which leads to easier recovery and less overall exertion. Spira's patented WaveSpring technology may be the most significant advancement ever achieved in the footwear industry.

"If we apply the same logic that underlines this rule, all track events should be run as they were in the movie 'Chariots of Fire.'" Races should be held on cinder as opposed to tartan tracks and racing shoes should be comprised on leather straps with heavy spikes embedded therein. Pole vaulters should be using bamboo, not high tech carbon fiber poles," Krafsur said. "When you think about it, the ban of the WaveSpring technology by the USATF is consistent with history. The metal composite ski in 1952, the oversized metal tennis racquet in 1976, and the oversized metal driver in 1979 were all banned when they were first introduced."

Krafsur contends that the change was such a departure from the status quo that the governing bodies could not adjust their rules fast enough. "The developments fundamentally changed the sports they revolutionized and increased participation for all," Krafsur said. Spira shoes are now sold in over 750 stores across the country and will be available in 30 countries by next spring. Registration for "Banned in Boston" is posted online at www.spirabannedinboston.com.