International Triathlon Union now allows barefoot running! As of December 2014, the ITU have deleted their rule forbidding running in bare feet. Here is the deleted rule: The full rules are here: http://www.triathlon.org/uploads/docs/itusport_competition-rules_december20141.pdf This is great news for all barefooters! .
This is huge for barefoot running though. I remember our talking about it here in past years. I wonder why the change.
The person who posted it on our FB page is trying to find out why. I will post it here if I find out. Yes TJ, this is very positive news for barefoot runners. Hopefully other organisations and race directors will follow the lead .
This is great news, indeed! Now of course, the deletion of the rule has to be translated to the national triathlon regulations (at least if the respective national triathlon association is part of ITU). I just pointed this out via e-mail to the German Triathlon Union DTU who have not yet deleted the anti-barefoot rule in their regulations.
I know that Triathlon Canada has not updated the ruling as of yet. However Triathlon Ontario has assured me that they will allow for barefoot running in any triathlon in Ontario. I've sent a few more emails to the ITU to try and find out how this all came about.
UPDATE Horseman42 has had news back from Gergely Markus, Sports Director from the ITU on why the barefoot rule was changed. Gergely advised him that "The driving factor was to be more inclusive with our rules, partly based on feedbacks from the groups you mentioned below." The groups that Horseman42 mentioned were SBL (Society for Barefoot Living) and the BRS As Horseman42 says himself, it is very refreshing to know that we all could make a difference! Nice work everyone! .
I love that this rule change was a move is in the "right direction". On FB a person stated that the UK rules still listed barefoot as a penalty even after this ITU change. Any word on where barefoot is still against the rules?
