BC Athletics JD Manual
APPENDIX D

APPENDIX D

BC JD RACEWALK RULES

1. Definition (IAAF Rule 230)
2. Judges
3. Track Umpires and Referees
4. Cautions
5. Warnings (Reports or Infringements)
6. Disqualification
7. Notes

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1. DEFINITION (IAAF Rule 230)

  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.
     
  2. The advancing leg shall be straightened (not bent at the knee) from the moment of first contact with the ground until the vertical upright position.

2. JUDGES

  1. The Chief Judge at any meet should be the highest graded Judge available.
     
  2. In track races, the maximum number of Walk Judges for an event shall be six, five Judges plus a Chief Judge. All Judges shall act in an individual capacity.
     
  3. Where the number of Judges is six or less, the number of reports for disqualification shall be:
NUMBER OF JUDGES NUMBER OF REPORTS FOR DISQUALIFICATION
4, 5, or 6 3 reports
2 or 3 2 reports
  1. The Chief Walk Judge shall allocate to each member of the Judging Panel a judging position. The Chief Judge shall view the start and finish of the event, and may judge from any position during the event.
     
  2. Prior to each event the Chief Judge, after identifying himself/herself to the athletes, shall explain the judging procedures for the event. The Chief Judge may be assisted by recorders or messengers. The duties of these Officials shall be determined by the Chief Judge.

3. TRACK UMPIRES AND REFEREES

Track Umpires and Referees shall perform the same function during Walks as they do for other track events: they shall detect infringements but shall not adjudicate on walking rules.

4. CAUTIONS

  1. A judge may caution an athlete twice, once for lifting and once for bending. A caution is given when an athlete is in danger of failing to comply with the rules. However, once a judge has given a caution, he or she shall not give a second caution for the same offence. Cautions shall not be permitted in the last lap of an event.
     
  2. When verbally cautioning an athlete, the judge shall call out the athlete's number and the term caution shall be used.
    For example, Number 77 Caution you are lifting.
     
  3. Cautions shall be done verbally and also by displaying a yellow paddle or sign (with the symbol of the offence on each side) when it is practicable to do so.

5. WARNINGS (REPORTS OR INFRINGEMENTS)

  1. Each judge's proposal for disqualification is called a warning.
     
  2. A warning shall be given by a Judge who determines that an athlete's mode of progression does not comply with the definition.
     
  3. Athletes are addressed by number and the term warn or warned shall be used along with the reason for the report. 
    For example, Number 45, Warned for bending.
     
  4. Warnings shall be done verbally and also by displaying a yellow paddle or sign (with the symbol of the offence on each side) when it is practicable to do so.
     
  5. If a Judge believes that an athlete may not have heard the report, the Judge should repeat the report at the next sighting of the athlete.
     
  6. The warning shall be recorded on the Judge's report slip or card along with the judge's name or signature and handed to the Chief Judge in accordance with the Chief Judge's arrangements for collecting reports.
     
  7. Once a Judge has reported an athlete, that Judge shall not report the same athlete again. Should a Judge report an athlete more than once, only one report shall be accepted by the Chief Judge.

6. DISQUALIFICATION

  1. An athlete shall be disqualified when reports from three different judges (or two different judges if there are less than four Judges) are received during the event.
     
  2. Only the Chief Judge will disqualify an athlete by displaying a red paddle or sign.

7. NOTES

  1. To the extent that no unfair advantage occurs, athletes should be given the benefit of any doubt. The object of judgment is to ensure fairness, not to discourage children from participating in this event.
     
  2. As in-progress communication will be by athlete number, the Chief Judge in the pre-start briefing should ensure that all numbers are attached so as to be clearly visible to the judges and that the athletes are advised that they need to know their number.
     
  3. The Chief Judge should stress the necessity of the judges communicating with the athletes as set out in Sections 4 and 5.

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