Disqualifications 

While it may appear that there are many ways in which athletes can be disqualified in Track & Field, in practice a basic understanding of the rules, common sense and acceptable behaviour usually means that disqualifications are an exception rather than a regular occurrence.

Something none of us want to see happen is athletes being disqualified. However, athletes are often disqualified in championship events because of infringements of the rules.

Unfortunately, this is often due to ignorance as the IAAF rules are sometimes not enforced in local competitions. The athlete is frequently unaware that they are doing something wrong.

Here we look at some of the reasons why athletes are disqualified in Track & Field

IAAF Rule 145 - Disqualifications states:

Athletes who infringe the Technical Rules may be disqualified by the appropriate Referee. However, such disqualification shall not prevent them from participating in further events in the competition.

In such cases in Field Events any results achieved up to that time in the same round of that event shall not be considered valid. Performances accomplished in a previous qualifying round of that event shall be valid.

Any competitor acting in an unsporting or improper manner is liable to be disqualified by the Referee from participating in ALL further events in the competition including relays.

Reference is made in the Official results to which IAAF Rule has been infringed.

The only exceptions to the above are:

Walks

The Chief Walks Judge is responsible for disqualifications for infringements to the rules of walking (But the Track Referee is still responsible for disqualifications in walking events for other infringements (eg: deliberate obstruction, unsportsmanlike behaviour, voluntarily leaving the track, etc)

Starts

 The starter is responsible for disqualifications where the same athlete makes two false starts in a running event in Combined Events (Decathlon, Heptathlon, Octathlon, etc) or in individual running or walking events where any athlete is responsible for a false start after there has been the one false start allowed for that race.

All cases mentioned so far are subject to protest to the Referee and/or appeal to the Jury except in the case of disqualifications by the Chief Walks Judge for infringements of the rules of walking.

Apart from the above the following are the main reasons for athletes being disqualified:

Jostling or obstructing other competitors so as to impede their progress

Voluntarily leaving the track without being forced to do so by another athlete.

 In laned events, running on the line on the left of the athlete on the bend or in an inside lane on the bend (automatic disqualification.)

Deliberately knocking down hurdles with hand or foot or any other part of the body.

Trailing the foot or leg below the horizontal plane of the top of the hurdle at the instance of clearance.

In relay races, passing the baton outside the takeover zone, and the receiving runner touching the baton before it is within the zone.

In relay races, a runner other than the runner who dropped the baton retrieving a dropped baton.

In the 4x400m relay, an outgoing runner starting his run outside the takeover zone; or a runner taking up a position to receive a baton which he is not entitled to take or changing their order once positioned by the officials.

Crossing over to an inside lane before passing the prisms on the breakline in the 800m and in the second leg of the 4X400m relay.

Failing to compete honestly with bona fide effort (not applicable to Combined Events) (ie deliberately making 2 false starts, jogging through a 200m race in order to save energy for a later event, etc. The Referee decides whether to disqualify the athlete or not.)

Receiving assistance, eg deliberate pacing by persons not participating in the race or by lapped persons; receiving drinks at other than approved stations.

Unsporting and/or improper conduct
With regard to unsporting and/or improper conduct, while such cases are extremely rare, coaches should advise their athletes that Referees either Track or Field and also Call Room Referees will not tolerate bad behavior and will not hesitate to deal repressively with it either by yellow card warnings or red card exclusions, the latter resulting in exclusion from ALL further events in the competition including all Relays.

By Reg Brandis