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.
This only proves the point. The very law in question here gives the official discretion (and almost everyone here believes the official abused that discretion), whereas the "law and order" types on here basically reject the premise that the official should use discretion despite that it's part of the rule. The rigid law and order posters on this thread totally ignore the actual rule and have simplified it to false start =DQ.
There should be a protest mechanism available to allow the accused athlete to provide an explanation and the team of officials to reconsider before making a final decision.
Saw it happen- guy was jumpy but definitely didn't lose his balance. Was probably nervous and trying to anticipate the gun. Not the most egregious false start, but not the most innocent either. Decision to toss him was solid. In situations like this instead of relying on the dq they oughta pull him out of line and have his start a step back behind the line of competitors.
That is actually a pretty good idea. A false start in a distance race should mean that you start maybe 2 seconds behind the rest of the field (or something like that). A penalty but not a death penalty.
Or add 2 seconds to whatever the finishing time is. Meaning, they have to finish 2 seconds ahead of the field, not start 2 seconds behind.
I don’t think your way of suggesting it is a real penalty, because it only works as a deterrent if the field is exerting max effort and going for the best times. Which almost never happens in distance anymore
That is actually a pretty good idea. A false start in a distance race should mean that you start maybe 2 seconds behind the rest of the field (or something like that). A penalty but not a death penalty.
Or add 2 seconds to whatever the finishing time is. Meaning, they have to finish 2 seconds ahead of the field, not start 2 seconds behind.
I don’t think your way of suggesting it is a real penalty, because it only works as a deterrent if the field is exerting max effort and going for the best times. Which almost never happens in distance anymore
Or just disqualify the guy who even said it was his bad. Gregg manned up. Was too hype.
How do you false start in a a national championship 5K? He looked nonchalant about the whole thing and needed more focus. If you passed him through and allowed him to restart, what events do you excuse similar violations and where do you draw the line? Bad precedence. This was not just another race, it was the national championship with team implications and he blew it.
I read the NCAA rule book and to me it reads that the starter has the discretion to cancel the start or recall the start if the gun has sounded and the runners have set off. It is within the rules for the starter to reboot the start process in situations like this and not DQ the athlete. No bad precedent would be set.
Race officials out there, please review the tape and context and weigh in.
Right, it’s 100% in the starters control and can’t be protested. The starter made the correct call. It was a clear false start with no question. For all those that don’t like the consequence of the rule you can (and always could have) proposed a rule change to the NCAA T&F/XC playing rules committee. I’d recommend rather than complaining on a message board, that people actually do something by making a formal rule proposal (to the NCAA and World Athletics for that matter) or if you think the current rule is appropriate then don’t complain about the correct application of the rule.
It may be a correct application of the rule. But rather than having a single draconian penalty that is almost never applied (the penalty for a minor and virtually irrelevant infraction is the same as the penalty for a major infraction: DQ) and therefore leads to wide differences in application and fails to act as deterrent, it would be better to have more targeted penalties that can be universally applied. That's all most people here are saying or implying. For starts, it would be better to have a second starting line 5 meters behind. You jump start the rest of participants, you are guaranteed to start in last place. But a DQ? This is like having a 10-year prison sentence for every crime, including shoplifting.
I may not fully understand the rules... but did the starter actually shoot the gun? I couldn't hear on the video. In most false starts, you're only gaining the advantage if you jump the gun and the rest of the field starts. You'd get the double gun to call everyone back.
It looks like he jumps, and comes back, and the starter or official stands them back up, if he never shot the gun... is it a false start? I think it's a terrible call. They should have reviewed for a minute or let the kid run under protest.
I saw this happen in a 5000m under the old false start rules. Dude was too slow getting to the line - officials charged him with a false start. Dude lines up after FS #1 and jumps the gun. That's false start #2 - he's gone. Everybody was dumbfounded ... but thems the rules.
The people defending the officials here just can't be happy with where they are in life. You have to be some special type of grouch to take in this situation and believe this was the right call. None of his competitors, and none of the hundreds of spectators who wanted to see a good race, thought this was the right outcome.
As Rojo put it, you're basically arguing for cops to pull people over for doing 56 in a 55.
The people defending the officials here just can't be happy with where they are in life. You have to be some special type of grouch to take in this situation and believe this was the right call. None of his competitors, and none of the hundreds of spectators who wanted to see a good race, thought this was the right outcome.
As Rojo put it, you're basically arguing for cops to pull people over for doing 56 in a 55.
OK so if the rule permits discretion then what is the point of the rule? The speed limit analogy makes no sense. This is a false start. Apparently they only allow true starts? Unless they want you in the race? Many of the same folks who are crying about this would also be crying if someone with testes were allowed to compete in the women’s race. Then they would say the rule matters and that humanity’s future was being threatened.
What I see with many of you is if you don’t like the result of a rule being enforced, you don’t want it enforced. This would be a more honest approach if you would acknowledge that this is at the core of the controversy for you. Honesty is important. I do see your points and would have been fine if the athlete was permitted to compete. But let us be honest.
I was in this race. This was a ridiculous call. We all wanted Ethan in the race. Everyone's race plan was based on the knowledge that he would take it out hard and make it a tough, honest pace. Race was worse off without him. Real shame. I found him in the crowd and gave him a hug after
What I see with many of you is if you don’t like the result of a rule being enforced, you don’t want it enforced. This would be a more honest approach if you would acknowledge that this is at the core of the controversy for you. Honesty is important. I do see your points and would have been fine if the athlete was permitted to compete. But let us be honest.
It is always about fairness. If a rule is enforced inconsistently or incorrectly, then fairness goes out the window. In this case, it was an active lineup with people bobbing and flinching. In other races I have seen the starter stand them up and get them to calm down. But here, they let it go on until one runner's brain synapse snapped and he took a step before the gun. They should have issued a warning to the entire field because of all the movement, and let the false start go.
Fairness is the only thing that makes sports worth our time.
This post was edited 1 minute after it was posted.
It is the NCAA job to get this right. The gun was never fired, therefore it was never a false start... Nobody else on the line went. Just give a warning, the starter held them way too long. At the very least let him run under protest and deal with it after the fact.
It is always about fairness. If a rule is enforced inconsistently or incorrectly, then fairness goes out the window. In this case, it was an active lineup with people bobbing and flinching. In other races I have seen the starter stand them up and get them to calm down. But here, they let it go on until one runner's brain synapse snapped and he took a step before the gun. They should have issued a warning to the entire field because of all the movement, and let the false start go.
Fairness is the only thing that makes sports worth our time.
If you’re at the line and your competitors are acting too squirrelly, you raise your hand in hopes the official will call time and restart the, um, starting procedures. This looked like a clear false start.
don’t jump the gun. Don’t interfere with other athletes, don’t on/over the line/curbing on the curve. I fail to see why distance runners should be exempt from the basic rules of the sport.
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