SECTION VII - RACE WALKING EVENTS
This section contains:
RULE 230 - Race Walking
RULE 230 - Race Walking
Definition of Race Walking
1. Race Walking is a progression of steps so taken that the walker makes contact with the ground, so that no visible (to the human eye) loss of contact occurs. The advancing leg shall be straightened (i.e. not bent at the knee) from the moment of first contact with the ground until the vertical upright position.
Judging
2. (a) The appointed judges of Race Walking shall elect a Chief Judge, if one has not been appointed previously. In competitions held under Rule 12.1(a), (b), (c), and (d), the Chief
Judge has the power to disqualify a competitor, from the circuit to the stadium and inside the stadium when the race finishes in the stadium or in the last 100m when the race takes place solely on the track or on the road course, when his/her mode of progression obviously fails to comply with the paragraph 1 above regardless of his/her having received previous warnings.
(b) The Chief Judge shall act as the supervising official for the competition, and only act as a judge in the special situation noted in paragraph (a) above in competitions under IAAF Rule 12.1(a), (b), (c), and (d). In competitions held under IAAF Rule 12.1(a), (b), and (c), a maximum of two Chief Judge's Assistants may be appointed by the Local Organising Committee after consultation with the Chief Judge and the Technical Delegates. The Chief Judge's Assistant(s) are to assist with the notification of disqualifications only and shall not act as Race Walking Judges.
(c) All the Judges shall act in an individual capacity and their judgements shall be based on observations made by the human eye.
(d) In competitions held under IAAF Rule 12.1(a), all Judges shall be International Race Walking Judges. In competitions held under IAAF Rule 12.1(b) and (c), all Judges shall be either Area or International Race Walking Judges.
(e) For road races, there should normally be a minimum of six to a maximum of nine judges including the Chief Judge.
(f) For track races there should normally be six judges including the Chief Judge.
(g) In competitions held under IAAF Rule 12.1(a) not more than one judge from any country can officiate. For all competitions held under IAAF Rule 12.1(a), (b) and (c) an official in charge of the Warning Posting Board and a Chief Judge's Recorder shall be appointed by the Organising Committee after consultation with the Chief Race Walking Judge and the Technical Delegates.
Caution
3. Competitors shall be cautioned when, by their mode of progression, they are in danger of failing to comply with paragraph 1 above.
They are not entitled to a second caution from the same Judge for the same offence. Having cautioned a competitor, the Judge shall inform the Chief Judge of his action after the competition.
Warning and Disqualification
4. (a) Each Judge's proposal for disqualification is called a warning.
Competitors shall be given warnings when, by their mode of progression, they fail to comply with paragraph 1 above by exhibiting visible loss of contact or a bent knee during any part
of the competition.
(b) When a competitor receives a warning from three different Judges, the competitor is disqualified and he shall be notified of this disqualification by the Chief Judge or the Chief Judge’s Assistant.
(c) In all competitions, either directly controlled by the IAAF or taking place under IAAF permit, in no circumstances shall two Judges of the same nationality have the power to disqualify.
(d) If it is impractical to notify a competitor of the disqualification during the race, the disqualification shall be given as soon as practicable after the competitor has finished. The failure to give prompt notification shall not result in the reinstatement of a disqualified competitor.
(e) A yellow sign with the symbol of the offence on each side, shall be shown to the competitor, when a caution is given. A red sign symbolises the disqualification of the competitor. The red sign is used by the Chief Judge to inform competitors of their disqualification. Competitors may also be informed of their disqualification by the Deputy Chief Judge.
(f) In track races, a competitor who is disqualified shall immediately leave the track and, in road races, he shall, immediately after being disqualified, remove the distinguishing numbers which he is wearing and leave the course. Any disqualified competitor who fails to leave the course or track may be liable to further disciplinary action in accordance with IAAF Rule 53.1(viii).
(g) A Warning Posting Board shall be placed on the course and near the finish to keep competitors informed about the number of warnings that have been given to each competitor.
(h) For all IAAF Rule 12.1(a) competitions, hand held computer devices with transmission capability must be used by the judges in communicating all warnings to the Recorder and the Warning Posting Board(s).
The Start
5. The races shall be started by the firing of a gun. The standard commands for distance events shall be used. In races which include a large number of competitors, a five-minute warning before the start of the race should be given, with additional warnings if
required.
Safety and Medical
6. (a) The Organising Committee of Race Walking events shall ensure the safety of competitors and officials. In competitions held under IAAF Rule 12.1(a), (b) and (c), the Organising Committee shall ensure that the roads used for the competition are closed to motorised traffic in all directions.
(b) In competitions held under IAAF Rule 12.1(a), (b) and (c), the events shall be scheduled to start and finish in daylight.
(c) A hands-on medical examination during the progress of an event by designated medical personnel clearly identified by the Organising Committee shall not be considered as assistance.
(d) A competitor shall retire at once from the race if ordered to do so by a member of the official medical staff appointed by the Organising Committee. Such staff shall be clearly identified by armbands, vests or similar distinctive apparel.
Drinking/Sponging and Refreshment Stations
7. (a) Water and other suitable refreshments shall be available at the
start and finish of all races.
(b) For all events up to 10km, drinking/sponging stations shall be provided at suitable intervals, if weather conditions warrant such provision.
(c) For all events of 10km or longer, refreshment stations shall be provided every lap. In addition drinking/sponging stations for water only shall be placed approximately midway between the refreshment stations or more frequently if weather conditions warrant such provision.
(d) Refreshments, which may be provided by either the Organising Committee or the athlete, shall be placed at the stations so that they are easily accessible to, or may be put by authorised persons into the hands of, the competitors.
(e) A competitor who takes refreshment at a place other than the refreshment station renders himself liable to disqualification.
(f) In competitions held under IAAF Rule 12.1(a), (b) and (c), a maximum of two officials per country may be stationed behind the refreshment table at any one time. Under no circumstances may an official run beside an athlete while he is taking refreshment.
Road Courses
8. (a) For competitions held under IAAF Rule 12.1(a), (b) and (c), the circuit shall be no longer than 2.5km and no shorter than 2km. For events that start and finish in the stadium, the circuit should be located as close as possible to the stadium.
(b) Road courses shall be measured in accordance with IAAF Rule 240.3.
Race Conduct
9. In events of 20km or more, a competitor may leave the road or track with the permission and under the supervision of an Official, provided that by going off course he does not lessen the distance to be covered.
10. Transponder: see Rule 240.10.
