Track officials tend to be guys in their late 50s and early 60s on a power trip. I think most of them actually genuinely hate the athletes.
You think track officials grow on trees? Unpaid volunteers out there in the hot sun 10 hours a day. Not everywhere is Oregon Track Club with willing officials out the ying-yang.
Track officials have to be certified - and I don't mean Rupp certified......although they have to be that as well.
Just saw the video. A flagrant DQ. Looks like he was trying to jump the field. But the real problem was he was in Lane 1 thus probably felt pressure to get a great start. Great news is that the field didn’t want him DQ’d because he was probably going to set the pace. Oh well, lesson learned. I did learn the announcers are ignorant and shouldn’t call distance races. They have no clue about the sport.
The announcers are former distance runners. What they said was completely out of line.
I am an official, but I'm not a starter. What I do is start adjacent, and in the case of some DQs, I actually ask them the logic, as it can be interesting.
First of all, don't contact the starter personnel. In some states threatening sports officials is a felony. I feel like the post was joking, but seriously don't do this.
The logic here appears to be 1) it's Nationals, they shouldn't be DQing people for minor infractions, or 2) the officials have the authority to NOT issue a DQ, and they should have.
1) Nationals should be at the highest standards. So, any infraction should be called.
2) It's hard to tell what happened from the video, but in most college meets this will be a DQ, unless there's some sort of mitigating circumstance, like noise from people around the start area, a gun issue, or another competitor taking too long to get to the line.
That said, I don't like that this call was made by an official on the outside of the track. It was his right to do so, but I feel like his view wasn't the best.
I think one thing that he had going against him was his position, he was closer to the start than anyone else. They guys on the outside were further back from the line, when "on your mark" was called they took a lot longer to get to the line because of their position.
One further argument is that he shouldn't have been DQed because his team was in the hunt. Officials truly don't care about the team involved.
I don't think this call is going to happen outside of a championship event, but considering it WAS a championship, I understand why it was a DQ (or FS, technically), rather than a green/yellow card.
It is ridiculous. I have been in the same situation, only back then, the official called everyone back and issued a caution to the entire field. DQ in the 5000 for a false start is just stupid.
So after “set” for sprints and “on your mark” command for distance you are supposed to be still until the gun. Is that the rule? if so he broke the rule.
it is terrible that it happened. Nerves can cause an infraction in sprints and distance. Its just that the impact of a false start is higher the shorter the race.
the question is should there be a different set of rules for the events. Or, is the official able to legally give out only a warning.
The announcers are former distance runners. What they said was completely out of line.
I am an official, but I'm not a starter. What I do is start adjacent, and in the case of some DQs, I actually ask them the logic, as it can be interesting.
First of all, don't contact the starter personnel. In some states threatening sports officials is a felony. I feel like the post was joking, but seriously don't do this.
The logic here appears to be 1) it's Nationals, they shouldn't be DQing people for minor infractions, or 2) the officials have the authority to NOT issue a DQ, and they should have.
1) Nationals should be at the highest standards. So, any infraction should be called.
2) It's hard to tell what happened from the video, but in most college meets this will be a DQ, unless there's some sort of mitigating circumstance, like noise from people around the start area, a gun issue, or another competitor taking too long to get to the line.
That said, I don't like that this call was made by an official on the outside of the track. It was his right to do so, but I feel like his view wasn't the best.
I think one thing that he had going against him was his position, he was closer to the start than anyone else. They guys on the outside were further back from the line, when "on your mark" was called they took a lot longer to get to the line because of their position.
One further argument is that he shouldn't have been DQed because his team was in the hunt. Officials truly don't care about the team involved.
I don't think this call is going to happen outside of a championship event, but considering it WAS a championship, I understand why it was a DQ (or FS, technically), rather than a green/yellow card.
Or, just have them stand on the line like cross country and fire a gun.
How are people watching this video? Every time I try to play it I get a message that says, "Sorry, an error has occurred." The only thing I can find on YouTube is Day 2, not Day 3 of Division III.
How are people watching this video? Every time I try to play it I get a message that says, "Sorry, an error has occurred." The only thing I can find on YouTube is Day 2, not Day 3 of Division III.
2) A ridiculous DQ. Don't tell me what the rules say. A cop never pulls you over for going 56 in a 55. There is no advantage to a false start in a 5000. Let the kid race.
People are debating if discretion is allowed. Of course it's allowed, if the official doesn't call it, then it's not called.
Did you watch the DL today in Rabat. Plenty of people jumped the gun in the 110h but they weren't tossed.
3) It reminds me of my first and only 3000 in HS. I think I was in 9th or 10th grade. I false started. They were debating tossing me out and then my coach yelled out, "It's not like he's going to do anything anyway."
2) A ridiculous DQ. Don't tell me what the rules say. A cop never pulls you over for going 56 in a 55. There is no advantage to a false start in a 5000. Let the kid race.
People are debating if discretion is allowed. Of course it's allowed, if the official doesn't call it, then it's not called.
Did you watch the DL today in Rabat. Plenty of people jumped the gun in the 110h but they weren't tossed.
3) It reminds me of my first and only 3000 in HS. I think I was in 9th or 10th grade. I false started. They were debating tossing me out and then my coach yelled out, "It's not like he's going to do anything anyway."
I'm pretty sure I was lapped.
Thank you! Life (and officiating) is all about….discretion….
This post was edited 1 minute after it was posted.
2) A ridiculous DQ. Don't tell me what the rules say. A cop never pulls you over for going 56 in a 55. There is no advantage to a false start in a 5000. Let the kid race.
People are debating if discretion is allowed. Of course it's allowed, if the official doesn't call it, then it's not called.
Did you watch the DL today in Rabat. Plenty of people jumped the gun in the 110h but they weren't tossed.
3) It reminds me of my first and only 3000 in HS. I think I was in 9th or 10th grade. I false started. They were debating tossing me out and then my coach yelled out, "It's not like he's going to do anything anyway."
I'm pretty sure I was lapped.
Well of course there could be an advantage to a false start in a 5000m, but it is not likely to make a difference. It could though. Surely you cannot start whenever you feel like it. I guess what I am saying is you would object if your competitor were given a 4 second head start in a 5000m, for example. Either you change the rule or you follow the rule. If discretion is permitted that is fine up to a point, but where exactly is that point?
2) A ridiculous DQ. Don't tell me what the rules say. A cop never pulls you over for going 56 in a 55. There is no advantage to a false start in a 5000. Let the kid race.
People are debating if discretion is allowed. Of course it's allowed, if the official doesn't call it, then it's not called.
Did you watch the DL today in Rabat. Plenty of people jumped the gun in the 110h but they weren't tossed.
3) It reminds me of my first and only 3000 in HS. I think I was in 9th or 10th grade. I false started. They were debating tossing me out and then my coach yelled out, "It's not like he's going to do anything anyway."
I'm pretty sure I was lapped.
Well of course there could be an advantage to a false start in a 5000m, but it is not likely to make a difference. It could though. Surely you cannot start whenever you feel like it. I guess what I am saying is you would object if your competitor were given a 4 second head start in a 5000m, for example. Either you change the rule or you follow the rule. If discretion is permitted that is fine up to a point, but where exactly is that point?
Your asking for the definition of discretion…..”the quality of having or showing discernment or good judgment.”
Well of course there could be an advantage to a false start in a 5000m, but it is not likely to make a difference. It could though. Surely you cannot start whenever you feel like it. I guess what I am saying is you would object if your competitor were given a 4 second head start in a 5000m, for example. Either you change the rule or you follow the rule. If discretion is permitted that is fine up to a point, but where exactly is that point?
You’re asking for the definition of discretion…..”the quality of having or showing discernment or good judgment.”
And this is by definition subjective. I am not saying you or Rojo are on the wrong side of the argument, far from it, but there is an argument, and those on the other side are not without merit. This kid should not have been DQd, but he should have been penalized, as we agreed maybe starting a few seconds late, which might have actually played to his benefit as he ostensibly has a propensity to serve as a pacemaker, so then maybe he would follow for awhile, which could help him. If I were this kid I would be angry, and I would use it as fuel for the fire, and someone would pay the price, and it wouldn’t be me. This kid is already a winner, and he can use this to his advantage.
This is a weak argument. You people want what you want. So the laws can be bent. We get it. Many of you think the laws should be applied to those you don’t like. It shows the awful character some of you possess.
I was at the meet in the grandstands. I can tell you that all around me there was a lot of "are you f-ing kidding me?" comments and for at least the first mile of the race everyone was pissed that he got DQd.
Why do we do the "run up to the line and get set thing" in distance races anyway? That isn't how it used to be - in my day we just stood at the line and they fired the gun. It never seemed to be a problem.
Stupid rule for sure. In distance races, the first false start should be on the field. In terms of penalty, maybe make the false starter start behind in a second row.
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