SECTION II - GENERAL COMPETITION RULES
This section contains:
RULE 140 - The Athletic Facility
RULE 141 - Age Groups
RULE 142 - Entries
RULE 143 - Clothing, Shoes and Number Bibs
RULE 144 - Assistance to Athletes
RULE 145 - Disqualification
RULE 146 - Protests and Appeals
RULE 147 - Mixed Competition
RULE 148 - Measurements
RULE 149 - Validity of Performances
RULE 150 - Video Recording
RULE 151 - Scoring
RULE 140 - The Athletic Facility
Any firm, uniform surface, which conforms to the specifications in the IAAF Track and Field Facilities Manual, may be used for athletics.
Track and Field competitions under Rule 12.1(a), (b), (c), (d) and competitions directly under IAAF control may be held only on synthetic surfaced facilities conforming to the IAAF Performance Specifications for Synthetic Surfaces and which hold a current valid IAAF Class 1 certificate of approval.
It is recommended that, when such facilities are available, competitions under Rule 12.1(e), (f), (g) and (h) should also be held on these facilities.
In any case detailed documentation attesting to the dimensional accuracy of the track and the field events facilities in the format required under the IAAF Certification System shall be required for all facilities intended for use for competitions under Rule 12.1 (a) to (h).
Note 1: The IAAF Track and Field Facilities Manual, published in 1999 and available from the IAAF General Secretariat, contains more detailed and defined specifications for the planning and construction of track and field facilities including further diagrams for track measurement and marking.
Note 2: A standard form of facility measurement certificate is available from IAAF and on the IAAF Website.
Note 3: This Rule does not apply to running and race walking events held on road or cross-country courses.
RULE 141 - Age Groups
The following Age groups shall apply to IAAF Competitions:
Youth Boys and Girls: Any athlete under the age of 18 years on 31st December in the year of the competition.
Junior Men and Women: Any athlete under the age of 20 years on 31st December in the year of the competition.
Veteran Men: A male athlete becomes a veteran on his 40th birthday.
Veteran Women: A female athlete becomes a veteran on her 35th birthday.
Note: All other matters concerning Veterans' competitions are referred to the IAAF/WMA Handbook approved by the IAAF and WMA Councils.
RULE 142 - Entries
1. Competitions under IAAF Rules are restricted to athletes who satisfy the IAAF eligibility Rules.
2. No athlete shall be allowed to compete outside his own country unless his eligibility is guaranteed by his Member Federation from whom he has permission to compete. In all international competitions, such guarantee of eligibility of an athlete shall be accepted unless an objection as to his status is made to the IAAF.
Simultaneous Entries
3. If a competitor is entered in both a track and field event, or in more than one field event taking place simultaneously, the appropriate Referee may, for one round at a time, or for each trial in high jump and pole vault, allow a competitor to take his trial in an order different from that decided upon by the draw prior to the start of the competition. However, if an athlete subsequently is not present for this trial, it shall be deemed that he is passing once the period allowed for the trial has elapsed.
Failure to participate
4. At all meetings under Rule 12.1(a), (b) and (c), except as provided below, a competitor shall be excluded from participation in all further events in the competition, including relays, in cases where:
(i) a final confirmation was given that the athlete would start in an event but then failed to participate, so that it was not practicable to delete that name officially from the list of starters for that event;
(ii) he qualified in preliminaries or heats for further participation in an event but then failed to participate further.
The provision of a medical certificate, endorsed by a medical officer appointed or approved by the IAAF and/or the Organising Committee, may be accepted as sufficient reason to accept that the athlete became unable to compete after confirmations closed or after competing in a previous round but will be able to compete in further events on a subsequent day of the competition.
Note 1: A fixed time for the final confirmation of participation should be published in advance.
Note 2: Failure to participate includes failure to compete honestly with bona fide effort. The relevant Referee will decide on this and the corresponding reference must be made in the official results.
The situation foreseen in this Note will not apply to combined events individual events.
RULE 143 - Clothing, Shoes and Number Bibs
Clothing
1. In all events competitors must wear clothing which is clean, and designed and worn so as not to be objectionable. The clothing must be made of a material which is non-transparent even if wet. A competitor must not wear clothing, which could impede the view of the Judges.
At all meetings under Rule 12.1(a) to (e) (Matches), competitors shall participate in the uniform clothing approved by their National Governing Body. At all meetings under Rules 12.1(e) (Club Cups) to (h), competitors shall participate in national uniform clothing or in club clothing officially approved by their National Governing Body. The Victory Ceremony and any lap of honour are considered part of the competition for this purpose.
Shoes
2. Competitors may compete barefoot or with footwear on one or both feet. The purpose of shoes for competition is to give protection and stability to the feet and a firm grip on the ground. Such shoes, however, must not be constructed so as to give a competitor any additional assistance, and no spring or device of any kind may be incorporated in the shoes. A shoe strap over the instep is permitted.
Number of Spikes
3. The sole and heel of the shoes shall be so constructed as to provide for the use of up to 11 spikes. Any number of spikes up to 11 may
be used but the number of spike positions shall not exceed 11.
Dimensions of Spikes
4. When a competition is conducted on a synthetic surface, that part of each spike which projects from the sole or the heel shall not exceed 9mm except in the high jump and javelin throw events where it shall not exceed 12mm. These spikes shall have a maximum diameter of 4mm. For the non-synthetic surfaces the maximum length of spike shall be 25mm and the maximum diameter 4mm.
The Sole and the Heel
5. The sole and/or heel may have grooves, ridges, indentations or protuberances, provided these features are constructed of the same or similar material to the basic sole itself.
In the high jump and long jump, the sole shall have a maximum thickness of 13mm and the heel in high jump shall have a maximum thickness of 19mm. In all other events the sole and/or heel may be of any thickness.
Inserts and Additions to the Shoe
6. Competitors may not use any appliance, either inside or outside the shoe, which will have the effect of increasing the thickness of the sole above the permitted maximum, or which can give the wearer any advantage which he would not obtain from the type of shoe described in the previous paragraphs.
Number bibs
7. Every competitor shall be provided with two number bibs which, during the competition, shall be worn visibly on the breast and back, except in the pole vault and high jump events where one number bib may be worn on the breast or back only. The number bib shall correspond with the number allocated to the competitor in the programme. If track suits are worn during the competition, number bibs shall be worn on the track suit in a similar manner.
8. These number bibs must be worn as issued and may not be cut, folded or obscured in any way. In long distance events these number bibs may be perforated to assist the circulation of air, but the perforation must not be made on any of the lettering or numerals which appears on them.
9. Where Photo Finish equipment is in operation, the Organising Committee may require competitors to wear additional number identification of an adhesive type on the side of their shorts. No competitor shall be allowed to take part in any competition without displaying the appropriate number bib(s) and/or identification.
RULE 144 - Assistance to Athletes
Indication of Intermediate Times
1. Intermediate times and preliminary winning times may be officially announced and/or displayed. Otherwise such times must not be communicated to the athletes by persons in the competition area without the prior approval of the appropriate Referee.
Giving Assistance
2. The following shall not be considered as assistance.
(i) communication between the athletes and their coaches not placed in the competition area. In order to facilitate this communication and not to disturb the staging of the competition, a place in the stands, close to the immediate site of each field event, should be reserved to the athletes' coaches.
(ii) Physiotherapy and/or medical examination/treatment necessary to enable an athlete to participate or continue participation once on the competition area by personnel designated or approved by the Medical Delegate and/or Technical Delegate specifically for this purpose, is permitted provided that it does not delay the conduct of the competition or a competitor's trial in the designated order. Such attendance or assistance by any other person whether during competition or immediately before competition once competitors have left the Call Room is assistance.
For the purpose of this Rule the following shall be considered as assistance, and are therefore not allowed.
(i) pacing in races by persons not participating in the race, by runners or walkers lapped or about to be lapped or by any kind of technical device.
(ii) use of video or cassette recorders, radios, CD, radio transmitters, mobile phone or similar devices in the arena.
Any athlete giving or receiving assistance from within the competition area during an event shall be cautioned by the Referee and warned that for any repetition, he will be disqualified from that event.
Wind Information
3. A wind sock should be positioned near the take-off area in all jumping events, discus and javelin events, to show the athlete the approximate direction and strength of the wind.
Drinking/Sponging
4. In track events of 5000m or longer, the Organising Committee may provide water and sponges to athletes if weather conditions warrant such provision.
RULE 145 - Disqualification
If a competitor is disqualified in an event because of the infringement of the IAAF Technical Rules, reference shall be made in the official results to the IAAF Rule, which has been infringed. Nevertheless, this fact shall not prevent a competitor from taking part in all further events.
A competitor acting in an unsporting or improper manner renders himself liable to disqualification from participation in all further events in the competition. Reference shall be made in the official results giving reasons for such disqualification. If the offence is considered serious, the Competition Director shall report it to the appropriate governing body for consideration of further disciplinary action according to Rule 53.1(viii).
RULE 146 - Protests and Appeals
1. Protests concerning the status of an athlete to participate in a meeting must be made, prior to the commencement of such meeting, to the Technical Delegate(s). Once the Technical Delegate(s) make a decision, there shall be a right of appeal to the Jury of Appeal. If the matter cannot be settled satisfactorily prior to the meeting, the athlete shall be allowed to compete "under protest" and the matter be referred to the Council of the IAAF.
2. Protests concerning the result or conduct of an event shall be made within 30 minutes of the official announcement of the result of that event.
The Organising Committee of the meeting shall be responsible for ensuring that the time of the announcement of all results is recorded.
3. Any protest shall, in the first instance, be made orally to the Referee by the athlete himself or by someone acting on his behalf. To arrive at a fair decision, the Referee should consider any available evidence which he thinks necessary, including a film or picture produced by an official video tape recorder. The Referee may decide on the protest or may refer the matter to the Jury. If the Referee makes a decision, there shall be a right of appeal to the Jury.
4. In a field event, if an athlete makes an immediate oral protest against having an attempt judged as a foul, the Referee of the event may, at his discretion, order that the attempt be measured and the result recorded, in order to preserve the rights of all concerned.
5. An appeal to the Jury of Appeal must be made within 30 minutes of the official announcement of the decision made by the Referee, in writing, signed by a responsible official on behalf of the athlete, and shall be accompanied by a deposit of US $100, or its equivalent, which will be forfeited if the protest is not upheld.
6. The Jury of Appeal shall consult, all relevant persons, including the Referee and Judges. If the Jury of Appeal is in doubt, other available evidence may be considered. If such evidence, including any available video evidence, is not conclusive, the decision of the Referee shall be upheld.
RULE 147 - Mixed Competition
For all competitions held completely in the stadium, mixed events between male and female participants shall not be permitted.
RULE 148 - Measurements
For track and field events in meetings under Rule 12.1(a) to (c) inclusive, all measurements shall be made with a calibrated certified steel tape or bar or with a scientific measuring apparatus. At other meetings fibreglass tapes may be used. The accuracy of any measuring equipment used shall be certified by an appropriate Weights and Measures authority.
RULE 149 - Validity of Performances
No performance accomplished by an athlete will be valid unless it is accomplished during an official competition organised in conformity with IAAF Rules.
RULE 150 - Video Recording
In competitions held under Rule 12.1(a) and (b) and, whenever possible in other competitions, it is recommended that an official video recording of all events, in which accuracy of performances and violation of the Rules are recorded, be used as supporting documentation.
RULE 151 - Scoring
In a match where the result is to be determined by the scoring of points, the method of scoring shall be agreed by all the competing countries before the start of the match.