by Alfonz Juck
MONACO (MON): Recent changes in rules will be first presented at the World stage in Budapest. The seeding for lane draws in track events has been amended to create a different allocation after the first round following submissions from elite athletes and coaches. From Budapest onwards, qualifying from rounds of the 1500m, 3000m steeplechase, and 5000m will be based purely on positions, not time. Any lanes or starting position left empty due to the withdrawal of an athlete will, where possible, be filled by the next-best ranked athlete.
For all sprints, hurdles, and 800m events, a room will be set up where non-automatic qualifiers can wait to see if they have advanced. The room will have comfortable chairs to relax, TV screens to watch subsequent races, foam rollers, stretch bands, refreshments, and access to their coaches and kit. Previously, throwers have not been able to use their own throwing implements if the same models are on the list of those provided by the organizers.
That restriction has now been lifted. The limit of two implements per athlete remains. When the reaction time is close to the allowed limit (0.100), any movement may hardly be visible at the start of a race. In such cases, if the start referee feels the start in question requires further study, the referee may allow the athlete to run under protest. Athletes cannot run under protest if the false start has been detected by a fully operational start information system or in cases where the false start is clearly visible.
