World Athletics has capped the sole thickness of track shoes to 20mm ©Getty Images

World Athletics has amended its rules to cap the thickness of track shoe soles at 20 millimetres.

The decision is due to come into effect on November 1 2024 and the sport's governing body says manufacturers have "sufficient time" to adjust their products accordingly.

Currently, track running shoes can measure from 20-25mm in stack height, while the mark is limited to 40mm for road shoes.

"There has been an enormous amount of background work and meetings held both internally and externally on our shoe rules since the inception of the Working Group on Athletic Shoes in June 2020," World Athletics' chief executive Jon Ridgeon said.

"There is still more to do but I would like to thank the Working Group, the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry and the shoe companies for their openness and collaboration in finding solutions."

Karsten Warholm set a new world record in the men's 400m at Tokyo 2020 as six of the first seven finishers also set national or continental records ©Getty Images
Karsten Warholm set a new world record in the men's 400m at Tokyo 2020 as six of the first seven finishers also set national or continental records ©Getty Images

Shoe technology has been in the spotlight since records started to tumble, with the governing body trying to draw a line between innovation and giving athletes an unfair advantage.

Norwegian 400 metres hurdler Karsten Warholm shaved 0.76sec off his own world record at this year's Tokyo Olympics - a massive margin in a one-lap race - and warned that shoe technology was hurting athletes' credibility.

World Athletics also said athletic shoes must not contain any embedded "sensing or intelligent" technology now or in the future, with the new rules and regulations set to be in place from January 1 2022.