IAAF leaders back change to rules on false starts
Tuesday, 31 July 2001 13:01Senior athletics officials agreed on Monday to back controversial proposals to change the rules on false starts in sprint events at a key meeting of the sport's world governing body this week. The ruling council of the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) decided to support the idea of allowing just one false start in races up to and including 400 metres.
After the one false start, athletes who leave their blocks before the gun will be disqualified from the race regardless of whether they were involved in the first false start.
At the moment athletes are disqualified if they commit two false starts. The new rule will be introduced from the start of 2003 if it gets the support of a majority of delegates at the IAAF's three-day congress which opens on Tuesday. The meeting is being held before the world championships start in Edmonton on Friday.
Leading athletes have been against changes to the false start rules. But the IAAF is pushing for new regulations because it believes delays in getting races under way is not good for the sport's presentation on television. The world governing body has decided, however, not to back a proposal to outlaw false starts completely.
Filed by Sinéad Kissane
