Editing Hammer throw (section)

== Safety issues ==
Hammer throwing has been described as involving "inherent danger [...]. Athletes, coaches, and spectators participating in the event are at risk; steel hammers [...] are hurled through the air at great speeds, [travel] far distances, and [are] sometimes difficult to spot in flight."<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Academy |first=U. S. Sports |date=2010-07-09 |title=An Analysis of Hammer Throw Facility Safety Factors in NCAA Division I |url=https://thesportjournal.org/article/an-analysis-of-hammer-throw-facility-safety-factors-in-ncaa-division-i/ |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=The Sport Journal |language=en-US}}</ref> For example, hammer throws resulted in four deaths in Europe in 2000 alone,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-12-29 |title=Catastrophic Injuries Pull Focus On Field Event Safety |url=https://www.athleticbusiness.com/facilities/outdoor-fields/article/15141454/catastrophic-injuries-pull-focus-on-field-event-safety |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=Athletic Business |language=en-us}}</ref> and have caused deaths and permanent brain damage injuries in the United States too.<ref name=":0" />

To mitigate such risks, a C-shaped "hammer cage" was introduced, which is built around the throwing circle, preventing the hammer from flying off in unwanted directions.<ref name=":0" /> In 2004, the [[World Athletics|IAAF]] changed its rules to increase the mandatory height of hammer cages to 10m and reduce their "danger zone" angle to around 53°.<ref name=":0" /> The change also moved the cage gates further away from the throwing circle, thus reducing the risk of a misdirected hammer bouncing back on the thrower.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Laruel |first1=Benoit |last2=Wilson |first2=Denis |last3=Young |first3=Ray |date=2004 |title=Hammer throw safety cages |url=https://worldathletics.org/download/downloadnsa?filename=3bb61ca9-c2a4-49b5-bf3d-b56d1422d1f0.pdf&urlslug=hammer-throw-safety-cages |journal=New Studies in Athletics |volume=19 |issue=1 |pages=47–51}}</ref>