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A U.S. track star has filed a lawsuit against one of the biggest athletic companies on the planet, and in a strange twist, a Formula 1 team has been dragged into the fray.
Abby Steiner, a four-time NCAA champion from her days at Kentucky and a two-time world champion, signed a deal with athletic giant Puma back in 2022 worth a reported $2 million.
However, just two years later, Steiner competed in her final event, the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials, as she says injuries have left her unable to compete at professional or Olympic levels.
Track star Abby Steiner last competed at the 2024 US Olympic Team Trials in Eugene, Oregon. (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
Injuries, according to her lawsuit, were the result of defective sneakers and spikes provided by Puma.
According to the Daily Mail, a complaint filed last week in Middlesex County (Mass.) Superior Court alleges that Steiner was "seriously injured" by products using carbon fiber plate (CFP) or NitroFoam (NF) technology. The suit specifically names the Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 2 and 3 and the evoSPEED Tokyo Nitro shoes.
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But here's the twist: The lawsuit also names the Mercedes Formula 1 Team as they were involved in the design of the shoes. Mercedes previously had a deal with Puma, who served as their athletic gear partner, but the team has since switched to Adidas.
The company still works with three F1 teams: Ferrari, McLaren and Aston Martin.
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The Puma and Mercedes-designed products used the CFP and NF technology, which the lawsuit claims "altered the biomechanics of runners" and caused bone stress injuries.
Abby Steiner won the women's 200m at the USATF Grand Prix in New York City (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
Steiner, who was part of world champion 4x100m and 4x400m U.S. relay teams during her career, is seeking both financial and nonfinancial compensation, including medical expenses and loss of potential career earnings.
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