ATHLETICS
RULES AND REGULATIONS OF DIFFERENT EVENTS
GOVERNING BODIES AND OFFICIALS
RULES AND REGULATION
STARTING
❑ The start of a race is marked by a white line 5cm wide. In all races that are not run
in lanes the start line must be curved, so that all the athletes start the same distance
from the finish
❑ Starting blocks must be used for all races up to and including 400 m (including
the first leg of the 4 x 200 m and 4 x 400 m) and may not be used for any other
race. No part of the starting block may overlap the start line or extend into another
lane.
❑ All races must be started by the report of the starter’s gun or approved starting
apparatus fired upwards after he or she has ascertained that athletes are steady and
in the correct starting position
❑It is deemed a false start if, in the judgment of the starter an athlete fails
to comply with the commands “on your marks” or “set” as appropriate
after a reasonable time; or an athlete after the command “on your marks”
disturbs other athletes in the race through sound or other-wise.
❑ Any athlete making a false start must be warned.
Reference/s:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pefU7Gc9Y0
RUNNING THE RACE
❑ In all races run in lanes, each athlete must keep within his allocated
lane from start to finish. This also applies to any portion of a race run in
lanes.
❑ Any athlete who jostles or obstructs another athlete, in a way that
impedes his progress, should be disqualified.
FINISH
❑ The athletes must be placed in the order in which any part of
their bodies (i.e. torso, as distinguished from the head, neck,
arms, legs, hands or feet) reaches the vertical plane of the nearer
edge of the finish line.
JUMPING EVENTS
HIGH JUMP
•The Competition
a) An athlete shall take off from one foot.
b) An athlete fails if:
• After the jump, the bar does not remain on the supports because
of the action of the athlete whilst jumping; or
• He touches the ground including the landing area beyond the
vertical plane through the nearer edge of the crossbar, either
between or outside the uprights with any part of his body, without
first clearing the bar.
REFERENCE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-xfX2SzAVk
POLE VAULT
• The Competition
a) An athlete fails if:
after the vault, the bar does not remain on the pegs because of the action of an
athlete whilst vaulting
b) He touches the ground, including the landing area beyond the vertical plane
through the back end of the box with any part of his body or with the pole,
without first clearing the bar after leaving the ground he places his lower hand
above the upper one or moves the upper hand higher on the pole.
c) During the vault an athlete steadies or replaces the bar with his hand/s. All jumps
shall be measured from the nearest break in the landing area made by any part of
the body to the take-off line, or take-off line extended. The measurement shall be
taken perpendicular to the take-off line or its extension.
REFERENCE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skIXURPUDdk
TRIPLE JUMP
• The Rules for the Long Jump apply to the Triple Jump with
the following additions:
• The Competition
a) The Triple Jump shall consist of a hop, a step and a jump in
that order.
b) The hop shall be made so that an athlete lands first on the
same foot as that from which he has taken off; in the step he
shall land on the other foot, from which, subsequently, the
jump is performed.
REFERENCE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOqOtiL7m6A
LONG JUMP
REFERENCE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_-mBWT47_E
THROWING EVENTS
Personal Safeguards
a) An athlete shall not use any device of any kind -e.g. the taping of two or
more fingers together or using weights attached to the body -which in
any way provides assistance when making a trial. An athlete may use
tape on the hand when needed to cover an open cut or wound. An athlete
in the Hammer Throw may tape individual fingers.
b) An athlete shall use gloves in the Hammer Throw only.
c) In order to obtain a better grip, an athlete may use a suitable substance on
his hands only. In addition, hammer throwers may use such substances
on their gloves, and shot putters may use such substances on their neck.
d) In order to protect the spine from injury, an athlete may wear a belt of
leather or other suitable material.
TRIALS
• In the Shot Put, Discus Throw and Hammer Throw, implements
shall be thrown from a circle and in the Javelin Throw from a
runway.
• In the case of trials made from a circle, an athlete shall
commence his trial from a stationary position inside the circle.
• An athlete is allowed to touch the inside of the rim.
• In the Shot Put he is also allowed to touch the inside of the stop
board.
It shall be a failure if an athlete in the course of a
trial:
a) Improperly releases the shot or the javelin,
b) After he has stepped into the circle and begun to make a throw, touches with any
part of his body the top of the rim or the ground outside the circle,
c) In the Shot Put, touches with any part of his body the top of the stop board,
d) In the Javelin Throw, touches with any part of his body the lines which mark the
runway or the ground outside. It shall be a failure if the shot, the discus, the
hammerhead or the tip of the javelin in contacting the ground when it first lands
touches the sector line or the ground outside the sector line.
• An athlete shall not leave the circle or runway until the
implement has touched the ground.
a) In the case of the Javelin Throw, when an athlete leaves the
runway, the first contact with the parallel lines or the ground
outside the runway shall be completely behind the white line
of the arc at right angles to the parallel lines.
• After each throw, implements shall be carried back to the area
next to the circle or runway and never thrown back.
MEASUREMENTS
• In all throwing events, distances shall be recorded to the nearest 0.01m below the
distance measured if the distance measured is not a whole centimeter.
• The measurement of each throw shall be made immediately after the trial:
a) From the nearest mark made by the fall of the shot, discus and hammer head,
to the inside of the circumference of the circle Along a line to the center of the
circle;
b) In Javelin Throw, from where the tip of the javelin first struck the ground to
inside edge of the arc, along a line to the Centre of the circle of which the arc
is part.
MARKERS
❑ A distinctive flag or marker may be provided to mark the best
throw of each athlete, in which case it shall be placed along, and
outside, the sector lines. A distinctive flag or marker may also
be provided to mark the existing World Record and, when
appropriate, the existing Area, National or Meeting Record.
SHOT PUT
• The Competition
• The shot shall be put from the shoulder with one hand only. At the time
an athlete takes a stance in the circle to commence a put, the shot shall
touch or be in close proximity to the neck or the chin and the hand shall
not be dropped below this position during the action of putting. The shot
shall not be taken behind the line of the shoulders.
REFERENCE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iM5tVbsXt4
HAMMER THROW
The Competition
• An athlete, in his starting position prior to the preliminary swings or turns, is allowed
to put the head of the hammer on the ground inside or outside the circle.
• It shall not be considered a failure if the head of the hammer touches the ground
inside or outside the circle, or the top of the rim.
• The athlete may stop and begin the throw again, provided no other Rule has been
breached.
• If the hammer breaks during a throw or while in the air, it shall not count as a failure.
REFERENCE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpAmNIENDlw
JAVELIN THROW
The Competition
a) The javelin shall be held at the grip. It shall be thrown over the shoulder or upper
part of the throwing arm and shall not be slung or hurled.
b) A throw shall be valid only if the tip of the metal head strikes the ground before
any other part of the javelin.
c) Until the javelin has been thrown, an athlete shall not at any time turn completely
around, so that his back is towards the throwing arc.
d) If the javelin breaks during a throw or while in the air, it shall not count as a
failure.
REFERENCE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vY6BjY-5BVI
Discus Throw
REFERENCE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXNYjS9OzO4
COMBINED EVENTS
❑ At the discretion of the Combined Events Referee, there shall,
whenever possible, be an interval of at least 30 minutes between
events, for any individual athlete. If possible, the time between the last
event and the start of the first event on the succeeding day should be at
least 10 hours.
The Rules for each event constituting the competition will apply with
the following exceptions:
• (a) In the Long Jump and each of the throwing events, each athlete
shall be allowed three trials only.
• (b) In case Fully Automatic Timing is not available, each athlete’s
time shall be taken by three Timekeepers independently.
• (c) In the track events, an athlete shall be disqualified in any event in
which he has made two false starts.
GOVERNING OFFICIALS IN
ATHLETICS
REFEREE
▪ is the person of authority in a variety of sports who is responsible
for presiding over the game from a neutral point of view and
making on the fly decisions that enforce the rules of the sport
,including sportsmanship decision such as ejection
FOUR MAIN GROUPS OF REFEREES
❑ Field judge : is part of the team official who oversee the Throwing and Jumping events at an
athletics meeting.
❑ Timekeeper : is a person who measure time with the assistance of a clock or stopwatch .In
addition ,the timekeeper records time ,time taken or time remaining during events such as sports
matches.
❑ Track judge : the judge , who must all operate from the same side of the track or course shall
decide the order in which the athletes have finished and in any where they cannot arrive at a
decision shall refer the matter to the referee, who shall decide.
❑ Starter : the primary goal of any competent starter must be to ensure all runners receive a fair and
equal start for each race.
