Never has required Steel-toed footwear. Never will. Some wear it in the SCA, but then some people jog in them too.
Combatants should wear footwear that provides adequate protection and support for the terrain and activity of combat.
Point being that if you make such claim's like:
"
SCA, well-known for abysmal footwork in their ahistorical combat sport,have long had a requirement in their fighting rules to wear steel-toed shoes"
&
"
I can note that reenactors have no reputation as serious martial arts practitioners. Their opinions on footwear should therefore be suspect"
that are so easily proved false then it cast's poor light upon the rest of your work especially if you have something good to contribute, which this article does actually have (i.e.: TKD shoes for fighting).
I wear period footwear (minus the 1/8" vibram sole) for the last several years and love it. I know lots of folks in the SCA that do that, and have for 20+ years. The most we've ever required is that the footwear be sturdy & support the ankle (IE not be something to CAUSE a foot issue), but that was a user's call.
As to the SCA Footwork: I would like to see his proof on that. Not the avg fighter, or the beginner, but show me a good, well rounded fighter, and say "His footwork is atrocious and here is why...".