Several sports have been rocked with performance enhancing scandals, but most of it has centered around what the athletes have (in some cases supposedly) put in their bodies, but the latest twist could be what athletes are putting on their bodies. Earlier this year swimming’s governing body banned certain skintight suits, while the same has happened with triathlons. Now the National Basketball Association has made a bold move by banishing certain shoes from its court.
The NBA has banned a shoe essentially for violating the rules against any equipment that creates “an unfair competitive advantage.” The particular shoes in question are part of the Athletic Propulsion Labs’ line of Concept 1 that includes the Load ‘N Launch Technology, which supposedly can increase a wearer’s vertical leap. These shoes will not be allowed in the court during the upcoming 2010-2011 NBA season.
This won’t mean the end of the Concept 1 by any means. APL couldn’t buy this sort of controversy. While $300 a pair these shoes are also a bit more expensive than most, but no doubt we expect to see these shoes popular on other courts, as players will look for an edge.