Qualifying Quarantined?

[Quick Silver]

Japan held its racewalking national championships over the weekend. Three men under 1:19 and two women under 1:32. But none of it will count for Olympics qualifying because Japan doesn't have three level III racewalking judges and Wuflu quarantine prevented their bringing any in.

In fact, no nation has three level III judges. Does that mean that all qualifying everywhere is quarantined?

Quick Silver
Hong Kong

[Powell]

In fact, no nation has three level III judges. Does that mean that all qualifying everywhere is quarantined?

That depends on national covid regulations, I guess. Not all countries ban international travel.

[LuckySpikes]

Japan held its racewalking national championships over the weekend. Three men under 1:19 and two women under 1:32. But none of it will count for Olympics qualifying because Japan doesn't have three level III racewalking judges ...

Fortunately for the 5 Japanese athletes concerned, they all had the Olympic standard already and their RW teams for Tokyo have already been selected. Only one spot for the Women's 20km is vacant and no-one else is looking likely to walk the 1:30:00 standard the Japanese have set.

[polevaultpower]

Japan held its racewalking national championships over the weekend. Three men under 1:19 and two women under 1:32. But none of it will count for Olympics qualifying because Japan doesn't have three level III racewalking judges and Wuflu quarantine prevented their bringing any in.

In fact, no nation has three level III judges. Does that mean that all qualifying everywhere is quarantined?

Quick Silver
Hong Kong

Where does it say that three level III race walk judges are required for a mark to be valid for OG qualifying?

[LuckySpikes]

Where does it say that three level III race walk judges are required for a mark to be valid for OG qualifying?

I'm pretty sure (99.9% sure) that the OP is correct. I too have read that a minimum of 3 judges drawn from the International or Area Race Walking Judges Panels are necessary if times set are to be valid for qualifying for any major championships. However, I can't find the document (I think it was on the WA website). I don't know if they are called Level III judges or not? I'm just trusting that the OP hasn't just made that term up for them!

Some of the better national race walking championships are usually keen to secure 3 of these international/area judges so that times set there are valid for qualifying and so that they are able to attract international guest athletes too.

[Powell]

Where does it say that three level III race walk judges are required for a mark to be valid for OG qualifying?

In the most obvious place to look - the document on the OG qualification system on WA's website https://media.aws.iaaf.org/competiti...5a782e3a78.pdf

Race Walks
•Performances for qualifying purposes may only be achieved on a course measured by a World Athletics/AIMS Grade “A” or “B” International Road Race Course Measurer with the measurement certificateestablished no more than 5 years before the date of the race.
•Aminimum of 3 International or Area Race Walking Judges must be on duty.
•For International Competitions defined under World AthleticsRule 1.1 (i), or at National Competitions, Member Federationsconcerned must submit a specific application to World Athletics(Application Form available from World Athletics) before the race is conducted. Applications submitted for the IAAFWorld Athletics Championships Doha 2019 do not need to be submitted again.

[El Toro]

Where does it say that three level III race walk judges are required for a mark to be valid for OG qualifying?

It doesn't as far as I can work out.

Level II = Area Race Walking Judge for officiating at international competitions up to Area level. This means, say NACAC championships but not WC or OG.

Level III = International Race Walking Judges and there are 23 individuals on the panel. These are the ones that can officiate at WC and OG.

So the actual requirement is to have 3 of Level II or Level III at a minimum.

Explanation and .pdf list of International RWJ is here: https://www.worldathletics.org/devel...walking-judges

[Quick Silver]

Thanks to Powell for posting the detailed rules. I wasn't aware that level II judges were acceptable. That creates an inequity because a few nations (perhaps 6?) could put together a set of three level II and III judges and hold qualifiers, but athletes from elsewhere wouldn't be able to attend because of quarantine requirements. So qualification is quarantined except for the lucky athletes of a few nations.

Quick Silver
Hong Kong

[LuckySpikes]

Thanks to Powell for posting the detailed rules. I wasn't aware that level II judges were acceptable. That creates an inequity because a few nations (perhaps 6?) could put together a set of three level II and III judges and hold qualifiers, but athletes from elsewhere wouldn't be able to attend because of quarantine requirements. So qualification is quarantined except for the lucky athletes of a few nations.

Quick Silver
Hong Kong

From a purely European perspective, most athletes are currently finding themselves able to travel abroad and so I imagine RW judges might be able to as well.

That means that next month's Spanish 20km Championships, Balkan RW Championships (TUR) and the Dudinska 50 (SVK) may well be valid for qualification purposes.

However, next month's championships in the USA & Australia might be negatively affected by this issue. In Australia that's probably not such a problem since all those likely to get the OG standard already have it.

Ultimately, it may end up only affecting a few up-and-comers because the Tokyo qualification has been open since early 2019 and so the large majority of established walkers are likely to have the standard already.

[El Toro]

However, next month's championships in the USA & Australia might be negatively affected by this issue. In Australia that's probably not such a problem since all those likely to get the OG standard already have it.

Ultimately, it may end up only affecting a few up-and-comers because the Tokyo qualification has been open since early 2019 and so the large majority of established walkers are likely to have the standard already.

WA only publishes a list of Level III judges. Australia has two of those, so I'd imagine we have multiples of of that number of Level IIs. I think most RW nations will have enough Level II judges.

And yes, many will have qualified in 2019 as have most of the good Australians.

Rhydian Cowley and Dane Bird-Smith have both qualified for the 20km and DB-S has already been selected. No Qs for the 50km.

Katie Hayward and Jemima Montag have qualified for the 20km and Montag has been selected.

That only leaves one quota place for 20km for each sex and three for the M50km.

I think any judging problems will have only marginal differences.

[Atticus]

WA only publishes a list of Level III judges.

Seems like a pointless distinction, if they can't see the ground-break either. Most sports have gone to video play-back to ensure compliance with the rules. Including the word 'visual' seems like a nod to the fact that they are not too interested in ensuring that lifting is prevented.

[El Toro]

Seems like a pointless distinction, if they can't see the ground-break either. Most sports have gone to video play-back to ensure compliance with the rules. Including the word 'visual' seems like a nod to the fact that they are not too interested in ensuring that lifting is prevented.

I'm not touching that argument. I still have internal bleeding from the last time MJR got upset about it!