AthleticsAccording to the two-time world champion, Puma, together with Mercedes engineers, designed shoes that exposed him to injuries.
Double world champion in athletics, American Abby Steiner has sued Puma and the Mercedes F1 team for ruining his career.
Steiner, 24, accuses Puma of designing running shoes that he says alter the movement of the foot and ankle, increasing the risk of injury. In the documents submitted to the court, Steiner separately lists three Puma shoe models that, according to him, have caused problems.
The Mercedes F1 team is involved in the lawsuit, because its engineers had helped Puma in the design of the spikes. Puma was Steiner’s long-term shoe sponsor.
Steiner has previously talked about his numerous leg injuries, which, among other things, prevented him from aiming for a place at the Paris Olympics. He announced last year that he would stop his sports career.
In Steiner’s opinion, Puma should have produced safer shoes and separately warned that the shoes could cause injuries.
Steiner has won two World Championship gold medals in the US relay teams, one in the 4x100m and one in the 4x400m relay. In the 2022 World Championships, he was fifth in the 200-meter individual race.
The Mercedes F1 team has not commented on the matter. Puma supplied The Athletic statementin which the company denied that its products were faulty and dangerous.