Can technology make sports more equal, or does it only widen the gap between competitors?

In 2019, Nike launched a prototype shoe named Nike Alphafly. It was a very advanced shoe that had more advantages and technologies in comparison to other shoes at that time. In 2020 the shoe got banned, because these shoes took 31 from 36 podium positions in major marathon events. A new rule got established that only allowed shoes with only one carbon fiber layer and maximum 40mm sole height. So after this example, can we really say that tecnology can make sports more equal, or does it only widen the gap between competitors?

In my opinion, tecnology can widen the gap between competitors because wealthy teams can afford more advanced tecnology and equipment, better data analysis and also better recovering tools. As a result, athletes with fewer resources may struggle to keep competing with athletes with an access to more advanced tecnology. Some athletes in the 2024 Olympics in Paris used advanced swimming suits that are very expensive and most of them won a medal. Another point are the Tech-Enhanced sports like Formula 1. Sports that mostly rely on equipment may see winners determinated more by tecnology than raw talent or skill. This can make the gap between competitors larger because some teams might not have a high budget and so they can't afford the same tecnology and equipment like other teams.

However, some might argue that technology can make sports more equal because in the paralimpics, advanced technology can make the competition more equal and more handicaped people can participate. Without the tecnology some athletes that lost a leg couldn't participate in sports. Also, tecnology is used in sports like Football and Tennis to make decisions fairer and more equal for everyone. The VAR and the Hawk-Eye can correct human decisions for example if the ball was out or someone was in an offside position, something that is nearly impossible for an human to detect only with the eyes.

To conclude, in my opinion, technology can widen the gap between competitors because the athletes have different budgets and access to more advanced technology, that can be very determinating for winning a competition.But on the other hand, some might say that it allows handicapped athletes to compete and win competitions or it can also correct human mistakes and so make the sports more equal.