Former Norway skiing star withdraws from national running championships over shoe rules

Norwegian cross-country skiing icon Therese Johaug's planned participation in the 10,000-meter race at the Norwegian Athletics Championships in July has been unexpectedly canceled. The reason cited is a recent change in sports shoe regulations, which prevented the 37-year-old athlete from competing.

Johaug reportedly told the publication Adresseavisen that her decision to withdraw was directly linked to the new rules. She indicated that she would have registered for the Trondheim event had she been permitted to use the same footwear she wore during a previous athletics competition in 2021. The specifics of the regulation change and the shoes in question were not detailed in the report.

Johaug, a celebrated figure in cross-country skiing with multiple Olympic and World Championship titles, had expressed interest in testing her abilities on the track. Her potential appearance at the championships generated significant attention, making her withdrawal a notable development in Norwegian athletics.

“

She would have registered for the Trondheim event had she been permitted to use the same footwear she wore during a previous athletics competition in 2021.