Updated story now says that it was because of track materials that get too hot in the summer:
But the primary school sports association spokesman, Neil Sargisson, said the rule about shoes was instigated by the organisers of Wellington regional athletics events, based on safety aspects of running in bare feet on synthetic tracks.
"There have been incidents of children running in bare feet on synthetic tracks in summer where the track temperature was in the mid-high 40s and they have finished with blisters and burns on their feet," he said.
Maybe they ought to regulate what the tracks are allowed to be made of! After all, kids do fall down sometimes in races. An overly hot track would then burn their arms, legs, and even possibly faces.
Or aren't they really concerned about safety?
Plus, as I understand it, the boy had been running previous races that day in order to qualify for the final, didn't he?