As previously posted (see “Athletics – False Starts“), since the beginning of 2010 any false start made by an athlete in a sprint event results in his/her immediate disqualification. However, in sprint races integrated in combined events, such as the men’s Decathlon and the women’s Heptathlon, the 2010 rule does not apply. In this type of events the…
Athletics – False Starts
Before 2003, an athlete would only be disqualified from a sprint event (those having a distance not superior to 400 metres) if he/she had been sanctioned for two false starts. After 2003 IAAF’s rules changed allowing only for a false start of one athlete. After this false start, any athlete (even one having not infringed the…