Oregon's James West false start disqualification.

[Cannon]

I must really be naive because I thought false start violations were only issued in the shorter events i.e. the sprints It's ludicrous to think that a distance runner would try to false start to get an advantage. So I was stunned when Oregon's James West was DQed for moving before the gun in the 1500m Come on folks, get real.

[Juicy News]

I agree. At the minimum, give him a second chance.

[Merner521]

on the other hand, just how hard is it to wait for the "bang"?

[DrJay]

Events 800m on up should allow a single false start charged to the field.

[player]

Reminded me of the NCAA W5000m indoor, which I just re-watched.

The field was brought back a first time and a yellow warning shown to the field. Camera shot made it impossible to tell who was at fault.

Second time field was brought back, there was no doubt. Weini Kelati, the favorite, clearly stepped over and was responsible.

Dwight Stones' comment: "I just don't see how they don't throw her out."

When it became clear Kelati was staying with only a yellow shown to her: "I think that's great but the rules have to be applied evenly."

And that's the rub. Distance runners usually get away with a warning, but there's no reliable consistency.

As for why it happens: generally because runners get tense and "tip over". You don't get your own lane in races over 800m, so you're mindful of trying to get position. And standing/leaning runners will "tip" from time to time.

[18.99s]

I think the IAAF one-strike-you're-out rule only applies to races with starting blocks. But the NCAA rule can be different.

[player]

I think the IAAF one-strike-you're-out rule only applies to races with starting blocks. But the NCAA rule can be different.

Good point; they are different.

The NCAA rule does not give leeway for races with standing starts. Under any reasonable interpretation of the mandatory language, Kelati should have been DQd in the instance described above.

IAAF rule says that, in standing start races, the starter has leeway to consider that an athlete's "over-balance", the "tipping" circumstance, is "accidental" and, therefore, not basis for a DQ.

This gives justification for only issuing a warning, but "accidental" is something of a dodge. Athletes lose balance because they are trying to get a competitive edge.

As long as all IAAF distance athletes only get a yellow, I don't have a problem with it.

[Tuariki]

Events 800m on up should allow a single false start charged to the field.

Why??

Sorry, but I just don't see the logic in allowing distance runners leeway and only sprinters being irrevocable punished. Sprints generally always involve a difference in the hundredths of a second, therefore the temptation / desire to get away as quickly as possible once the gun goes off.

And if you succumb to that temptation then you pay the penalty.

And for that reason I don't see why distance runners should get a break as, especially when compared to sprinters, there is no reason for them to jump the gun.

[18.99s]

And for that reason I don't see why distance runners should get a break as, especially when compared to sprinters, there is no reason for them to jump the gun.

That's why they get a break. Where there is a greater incentive and/or tendency to violate a rule, a greater deterrent is appropriate, and conversely a lesser penalty for similar violations of lesser material consequence.

For similar reasons, a foul or hand ball call inside the penalty box results in a penalty kick, but those outside the box don't.

[Atticus]

In races where's there is more than one athlete per lane, there should be one FS to the field. As pointed out above, they're all jostling on the line and someone can get bumped. It's not like the sprints where it takes time to reset the field; they're ready again in seconds.

[Conor Dary]

Indeed...the present rule is pretty stupid...

[Cannon]

I just thought...this ends (kind of ruins) an athletes season for a little (probably unintentional) blip at the start...so I think they made a poor choice in not giving him a warning.

[Conor Dary]

Why??

Sorry, but I just don't see the logic in allowing distance runners leeway and only sprinters being irrevocable punished. Sprints generally always involve a difference in the hundredths of a second, therefore the temptation / desire to get away as quickly as possible once the gun goes off.

And if you succumb to that temptation then you pay the penalty.

And for that reason I don't see why distance runners should get a break as, especially when compared to sprinters, there is no reason for them to jump the gun.

Obviously you never did much distance running on the track...

Most of the time you don't even want to be first off....

[tandfman]

It's hard to comment on the correctness of this call without knowing what the runner actually did. Is there a video of this start?

[Juicy News]

It's hard to comment on the correctness of this call without knowing what the runner actually did. Is there a video of this start?

Well... did anybody pay for FloTrack?