Paralympian Reid takes aim at Nike for inability to buy single shoes

MANCHESTER, England : Former Paralympian Stef Reid has questioned Nike's commitment to diversity over their refusal to sell single shoes to amputee runners even though they use amputee mannequins and runners in promotions.

Reid, a three-times Paralympic medallist in long jump and 200 metres, said she was unable to purchase a single Vaporfly, Nike's top-of-the-line training shoe that retails for about 240 pounds ($300.91) in Britain.

"It's really expensive and I'm going to buy this (pair) and I'm going to throw half away. This just seems a little bit silly," Reid, who lost her right foot in a boating accident when she was 16, said in an interview with Reuters.

"I would never have gone down this route but when a company is using the image (of amputee runners in promotional material), they're making a statement that they want to be diverse and inclusive."

In a statement to Reuters Nike, who offered her a 15 per cent discount to buy a pair, thanked Reid for sharing her concerns.

"At Nike, we stand for all athletes, and sponsor a number of Para athletes and federations around the world and work with them across all forms of movement," the statement said. 

The company added that their American program One Shoe Bank offers a select inventory of single shoes out of their Memphis distribution centre.

"Taking the learnings from the program, we are hoping to expand it to more geographies in the future," Nike said.

The 39-year-old Reid, who competed for Canada before switching to Team GB, has taken up distance running with the ultimate goal of racing in the Boston Marathon.

She would like to honour Boston's groundbreaking decision this year to add several Para categories, with prize money.

ENERGY RETURNS

Reid was keen on the Vaporfly because