Two-time world champion sprinter sues sponsor, says their shoes ruined her career

A two-time world champion sprinter has taken legal action against her own shoe sponsor, arguing that the very equipment designed to support her rise instead contributed to the injuries that have stalled, and possibly ended, her career. Abby Steiner, a key part of the United States relay teams that won gold in both the 4x100m and 4x400m at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, has filed a lawsuit in Massachusetts alleging that Puma supplied footwear that was “defective” and unsafe, leading to a series of chronic foot and ankle problems.

From breakout star to long-term injury concerns

The timeline of Steiner’s rise and subsequent struggles forms a central part of the case, beginning in June 2022 when she announced herself as one of the fastest women in the world by winning the 200 metres at the US National Championships in 21.77 seconds. That breakthrough followed a standout collegiate career at the University of Kentucky, where she became a four-time NCAA champion. A month later, she turned professional and signed with Puma in a deal widely reported to be worth around $2 million, one of the most significant endorsements for a female sprinter coming out of the college system. Within weeks, she added global success to her résumé, earning two World Championship gold medals as part of the US relay teams. Her trajectory shifted in 2023, when she began to experience persistent foot injuries. Over the next two years, those issues escalated into a series of medical interventions. Steiner developed chronic problems in her foot and ankle, including Haglund’s deformity, a bony enlargement at the back of the heel, in her right foot, which required surgery in 2023. She also suffered a partial tear of her Achilles tendon and ultimately underwent at least three surgical procedures between 2023 and 2025.

What the lawsuit alleges about the shoes

In the complaint filed on April 24 in Massachusetts Superior Court, Steiner claims that specific Puma models, including the Deviate Nitro Elite 2 and 3 and the evoSPEED Tokyo Nitro, contributed directly to those injuries, according to Front Office Sports. The lawsuit also names Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix, which collaborated on elements of the spike design. At the centre of the claim is the technology used in elite running footwear over the past decade. Steiner argues that the incorporation of carbon fibre plates and nitrogen-based foam, designed to improve energy return and speed, altered the natural mechanics of her foot and ankle during running. According to the filing, those changes increased stress on her lower limbs and heightened the risk of injury over time. She further alleges that Puma was aware of potential defects in the design yet continued to market the shoes as safe and suitable for elite competition, and failed to properly inspect them. A key element of the case is timing. Steiner states that although her injuries began years earlier, she “only recently” identified the footwear as the cause, arguing that the way the shoes modified running mechanics made it difficult to recognise the source of the problem at the time.

The competitive impact and final races

The physical toll described in the lawsuit is matched by a clear competitive decline. In the build-up to the 2024 US Olympic Trials, Steiner withdrew from several preparatory races because she was unable to complete basic training sessions, including walking and jogging drills without pain. When she did compete at the trials, she finished sixth in the 200 metres, missing out on qualification for the Olympic team. That race now stands as her most recent competitive appearance at the elite level. In August 2025, she publicly announced that she would step away from the sport, describing it as a decision to focus on recovery and to pursue a master’s degree in exercise science. The lawsuit goes further, stating that she is no longer able to compete at a professional or Olympic level.

What Steiner is seeking

Steiner is seeking both financial and non-financial damages from Puma. The claim includes compensation for medical expenses tied to her surgeries and treatment, as well as loss of potential earnings from what had been a rapidly developing professional career. It also seeks damages for what is described in the filing as “loss of the full enjoyment of life and disfigurement,” reflecting the long-term physical consequences she attributes to the injuries.