{"id":2334,"date":"2026-06-09T18:34:21","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T18:34:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=2334"},"modified":"2026-06-09T18:34:21","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T18:34:21","slug":"olympian-elite-track-stars-sue-puma-claiming-defective-shoes-caused-injuries-ended-careers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=2334","title":{"rendered":"Olympian, elite track stars sue Puma, claiming \u2018defective\u2019 shoes caused injuries, ended careers"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Three elite track stars are suing Puma and Mercedes\u2019 Formula 1 team, alleging that high-tech racing shoes marketed to help make athletes faster instead caused serious injuries that derailed their careers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more Four high school journalists named winners of new-look Will McDonough Writing Contest<\/a><\/p>\n

Jamaican Olympian Damion Thomas Jr. and American World Championship Gold Medalist Champion Allison filed lawsuits Tuesday in Middlesex County Superior Court. They allege that Puma \u2014 whose US headquarters is in Somerville failed to disclose that some of its cutting-edge racing shoes could place abnormal stress on athletes\u2019 feet and lower legs, increasing the risk of injuries that include fractures, Achilles problems, bone stress injuries, and Haglund\u2019s deformity, which is bony growth on the heel bone.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs professional athletes, our bodies are our livelihoods,\u201d said Allison, whose sponsorship with Puma started in 2022, in a statement to the Globe. \u201cWhen you sign with a major brand, you trust that the equipment they put on your feet has been tested and is safe. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cYou don\u2019t expect that what they\u2019re giving you might end your career,\u201d added Allison, one of the fastest 400-meter runners in history, but who missed the entire 2023 track and season due to injuries.<\/span><\/p>\n

The lawsuits target several shoes, including Puma\u2019s Deviate Nitro Elite 2 and 3, evoSpeed Tokyo Nitro, evoSPEED Tokyo Nitro 400M. According to the complaints, the shoes use carbon-fiber plates, a proprietary nitrogen-infused foam cushioning. These design features are intended to improve speed by altering how force moves through a runner\u2019s feet and lower legs. Puma\u2019s reinvestment in hardcore running had spectacular results, with 20 wins among its sponsored runners in the Paris Olympics, but the lawsuits allege that the company put speed over safety in their development of these products. <\/span><\/p>\n

The lawsuits strike at the heart of Puma\u2019s efforts to reestablish itself as a dominant brand in elite running. After years of losing ground to rivals, the 78-year-old company invested heavily in racing shoes and its foam technology, betting it would help it regain market share and attract some of the world\u2019s top athletes.<\/span><\/p>\n

But while Puma marketed its shoes as safe, extensively tested, and appropriate for both elite athletes and everyday runners, Thomas and Allison allege the company failed to warn users about potential injury risks associated with the designs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Robert-Jan Bartunek, a spokesman for Puma, said the company strongly denies any allegation that their performance products cause injuries. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOn the contrary, our products are worn by athletes performing at the top of their game in distance running and track and field, breaking records, including the world record in 60m hurdles, pole vault, and high jump,\u201d said Bartunek. <\/span><\/p>\n

A spokesperson for Puma did not immediately respond to the Globe\u2019s request for comment.<\/span><\/p>\n

The lawsuits also name Mercedes because its engineers helped the shoe company, which has its North American headquarters in Somerville, develop some aspects of the shoe technology. Adam McDaid, a spokesperson for Mercedes F1 team said he could not comment on the suit.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid, and as I am sure you can understand, we can\u2019t comment on active litigation,\u201d said McDaid in an email on Tuesday morning.<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more World Cup referee denied entry to the US was about to make history for Somalia<\/a><\/p>\n

Peter J. Flowers, a partner at Meyers & Flowers \u2014 which alongside Boston-based Sugarman and Sugarman, P.C. represents the runners in their suits \u2014 said Puma has prioritized \u201cthe promise of speed over safety,\u201d and believes that there could be others affected by similar issues.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAn Olympian or world champion has access to specialists, trainers and lawyers. A high school kid whose foot is hurting is going to the local urgent care, being told to take some time off, and never knowing why,\u201d said Flowers. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The athletes are seeking damages for physical and emotional injuries, medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of earnings, loss of earning capacity and lost sponsorship, endorsement and career opportunities. The lawsuits don\u2019t specify a monetary demand.<\/span><\/p>\n

The latest complaints follow a similar lawsuit filed by American track and field world champion Abby Steiner in late April in Middlesex County Superior Court. Steiner alleged that Puma\u2019s shoe designs altered \u201cfoot and ankle mechanics during running that may contribute to or increase the risk of injury.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A two-time world champion and a four-time NCAA national champion, Steiner holds the US indoor records for the 200m and 300m sprints. Puma started sponsoring her in 2022, and she wore the shoes in competitions and in training. Steiner, who is also represented by Flowers, claimed in her suit that the products \u201cseriously injured\u201d her.<\/span><\/p>\n

While training for the Olympics, Steiner said in an Instagram post that she was \u201coften limping around before [and] after my practices and getting through on sheer willpower to fulfill a lifelong dream.\u201d By 2025, she had undergone multiple surgeries for injuries. <\/span><\/p>\n

In August, Steiner announced she was \u201ctaking a step back from running.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Like Steiner, Allison and Thomas were sponsored by Puma and say they suffered from injuries after switching to the company\u2019s footwear in 2022. <\/span><\/p>\n

Puma\u2019s sponsored athletes won 20 medals at the Paris Olympics in 2024.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thomas said when he heard of Steiner\u2019s lawsuit, it was the first time he considered that what happened to him \u201cwasn\u2019t just bad luck.\u201d In late 2024, Thomas underwent an osteophytectomy procedure to remove a bone spur in his foot that he said was causing extreme discomfort and pain in his achilles.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLike a lot of athletes, I assumed my injury was something I had to deal with on my own,\u201d said Thomas, a Tokyo Olympian and 2021 NCAA Champion in the 60-meter hurdles, a five-time NCAA All-American and who previously held the world record in 110-meter hurdles. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf it took a lawsuit for me to realize I wasn\u2019t alone, there have to be so many other athletes out there who still don\u2019t know,\u201d said Thomas.<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more Trump previews fall strategy with baseless claims of California vote fraud<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Three elite track athletes allege cutting-edge racing shoes made by Puma, whose US headquarters is in Somerville, caused serious injuries that derailed their careers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2333,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2334","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sport"],"yoast_head":"\nOlympian, elite track stars sue Puma, claiming \u2018defective\u2019 shoes caused injuries, ended careers - Boston Relocation Insider<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=2334\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Olympian, elite track stars sue Puma, claiming \u2018defective\u2019 shoes caused injuries, ended careers - 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