The creation and regulation of sports equipment: implications for the future

From the swimsuit to the golf ball, innovators in the sports manufacturing industry have long sought to design the most developed and original sports equipment to help attain athletic excellence. However, the utilisation of this rapidly developing technology in the realm of sport has not been without controversy. Such equipment may have serious ramifications for fairness, innovation and the integrity of sport as a whole. This article considers these issues from a number of sporting perspectives: those of manufacturers, athletes (professional and disabled) and the safety of competitors in general. The article concludes by calling for more guidance on, and regulation of, novel sports equipment from both adjudicators and the various stakeholders in sport