Editing Track and field (section)

===Track rules===
The rules of track events in athletics as observed in most international athletics competitions are set by the Competition Rules of the [[International Association of Athletics Federations]] (IAAF). The most recent complete set of rules is the 2009 rules that relate only to competitions in 2009.<ref name=RuleBook1>[http://www.iaaf.org/mm/Document/Competitions/TechnicalArea/04/95/59/20090303014358_httppostedfile_CompetitionRules2009_printed_8986.pdf Incorporating changes approved by the IAAF Council throughout 2008– p5, 2009 Rule book]. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090521002249/http://www.iaaf.org/mm/Document/Competitions/TechnicalArea/04/95/59/20090303014358_httppostedfile_CompetitionRules2009_printed_8986.pdf |date=21 May 2009 }}</ref> Key rules of track events are those regarding starting, running and finishing. Current World Athletics (WA) Rules are available on WA's website.<ref>https://www.worldathletics.org/about-iaaf/documents/technical-information</ref> Current USATF (USA) Competition Rules booklet is available on the USATF website.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.usatf.org/governance/rule-books | title=USA Track & Field &#124; Rule Books }}</ref> Prior USATF Competition Rules booklets are also available (2002, 2006 to 2020).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://mastershistory.org/standards-specifications/ | title=Standards & Specifications & Rule Book }}</ref>

====Starting====
[[File:20070701-nk2007-100m.jpg|thumb|Men assuming the starting position for a sprint race]]
The start of a race is marked by a white line 5&nbsp;cm 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.<ref>IAAF Rule 162.1, from Chapter 5, 'Technical rules', Section III on 'Track events'.</ref>
Starting blocks may be used for all races up to and including 400 m (including the first leg of the [[4 × 100 m relay|4 × 100 m]] and [[4 × 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.<ref>IAAF Rule 161</ref>

All races must be started by the report of the [[starter's gun]] or approved starting apparatus fired upwards after they have ascertained that athletes are steady and in the correct starting position.<ref name="IAAF Rule 161.2">IAAF Rule 161.2</ref> An athlete may not touch either the start line or the ground in front of it with their hands or feet when on their marks.<ref name="IAAF Rule 161.3">IAAF Rule 161.3</ref>

For sprint races up to 400&nbsp;m, the starter gives two commands: "on your marks" to instruct athletes to approach the start line, followed by "set" to advise the athletes that the start of the race is imminent. The commands of the starter are typically given in the native language in national competitions, or in English or French in international competitions. Once all athletes are set in their starting position, the gun or an approved starting apparatus must be fired or activated. If the starter is not satisfied that all are ready to proceed, the athletes may be called out of the blocks and the process started over.<ref name="IAAF Rule 161.3"/>

There are different types of starts for races of different distances. Middle- and long-distance races mainly use the waterfall start. This is when all athletes begin on a curved line that moves farther out at the outer edge of the track. Competitors are allowed to move towards the inside lane right away, as long as it is safe to do so. For some middle-distance races, such as 800&nbsp;m, each athlete starts in their own lane. Once the gun fires, they must run in the lane they began in until they reach a set of cones on the track that signal that they can cut in and move towards the inside lane. For sprint races, athletes begin in start blocks and must stay in their own lane for the entire race.<ref name=RuleBook1/>

An athlete, after assuming a final set position, may not commence his starting motion until after receiving the report of the gun, or approved starting apparatus. If, in the judgment of the starter or recallers, he does so any earlier, it is considered a [[false start]]. 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 otherwise. If the runner is in the "set" position and moves, then the runner is also disqualified.<ref>IAAF Rule 161.6</ref> {{As of|2010}}, any athlete making a false start is disqualified.<ref>IAAF Rule 161.7</ref>

In International elite competition, electronically tethered starting blocks sense the reaction time of the athletes. If the athlete reacts in less than 0.1 second, an alert sounds for a recall starter and the offending athlete is guilty of a false start.<ref name="IAAF Rule 161.2"/> Since 2009, the offending athletes are immediately disqualified.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/athletics/6018077/World-Athletics-IAAF-sanctions-immediate-disqualification-for-false-starts-come-January.html |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |title=IAAF sanctions immediate disqualification for false starts come January |date=12 August 2009 |access-date=2 May 2010 |archive-date=18 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118111656/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/athletics/6018077/World-Athletics-IAAF-sanctions-immediate-disqualification-for-false-starts-come-January.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Running the race====
[[File:Oscar Pistorius, the first round of the 400m at the London 2012 Olympic Games.jpeg|thumb|[[Oscar Pistorius]] running in the first round of the 400&nbsp;m at the [[2012 Summer Olympics]]]]
For sprinting events, except the 4 × 400&nbsp;m relay and the indoor 400&nbsp;metres, each athlete must run the race within their allocated lane from start to finish. If an athlete leaves their lane or steps on the line demarking each lane the athlete will be disqualified. Lane rules also apply for initial periods of other track races, for example, the beginning of the 800&nbsp;m. Similar rules apply for longer distance races when a large field of athletes is present and separate starting points are designated, with the field merging into one group shortly after the starting phase.<ref name="IAAF Rule 163.2">IAAF Rule 163.2</ref><ref name="IAAF Rule 163.3">IAAF Rule 163.3</ref>

Any athlete who jostles or obstructs another athlete, in a way that impedes his progress, should be disqualified from that event. However, if an athlete is pushed or forced by another person to run outside his lane, and if no material advantage is gained, the athlete should not be disqualified.<ref name="IAAF Rule 163.2"/><ref name="IAAF Rule 163.3"/>

====The finish====
The finish of a race is marked by a white line 5&nbsp;cm wide.<ref>IAAF Rule 164.1</ref> The finishing position of athletes is determined by the order in which any part of their torso (as distinguished from the head, neck, arms, legs, hands or feet) reaches the vertical plane of the nearer edge of the finish line.<ref>IAAF Rule 164.3</ref> [[Fully automatic timing]] systems (photo timing) are becoming more and more common at increasingly lower levels of track meets, improving the accuracy, while eliminating the need for eagle-eyed officials on the finish line. Fully automatic timing (FAT) is required for high level meets and any time a sprint record is set (though distance records can be accepted if timed by three independent stopwatches).<ref name=RuleBook1/>

With the accuracy of the timing systems, ties are rare. Ties between different athletes are resolved as follows: In determining whether there has been a tie in any round for a qualifying position for the next round based on time, a judge (called the chief photo finish judge) must consider the actual time recorded by the athletes to one thousandth of a second. If the judge decides that there has been a tie, the tying athletes must be placed in the next round or, if that is not practicable, lots must be drawn to determine who must be placed in the next round. In the case of a tie for first place in any final, the referee decides whether it is practicable to arrange for the athletes so tying to compete again. If he decides it is not, the result stands. Ties in other placings remain.<ref name=RuleBook1/>