2004 Rules of Competition

The USATF Rules of Competition book is available, by article, in PDF format below. Click on the article number to download that article.

Amendments were approved to the USATF Rules of Competition at the USATF Annual Meeting in December 2004, which are immediately effective. These amendments have not yet been incorporated into one comprehensive document. Click on the following links to see the amendment packages submitted prior to and approved at the 2004 USATF Annual Meeting.

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            Rule Page
ARTICLE I - Championship Events and USA Olympic Team Selection
Section I - General
National Championships 1 13
Regional Championships 2 14
Association Championships 3 15
Eligibility for Team Championships 4 15
Awards 5 16
General 6 17
Team Scoring 7 19
Non-Championship Competitions 8 19
Section II - Men's and Women's Track and Field Championships
Outdoor Track and Field Championships 10 21
Indoor Track and Field Championships 11 25
National Track and Field Championships 12 27
Other Championships 13 28
Transferring Membership Prior to Championships 14 30
Section III - Cross Country & Long Distance Running Championships
Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships 15 31
Long Distance Running Championships - Men 16 32
Trail/Mountain Running Championships - Men 17 34
Long Distance Running Championships - Women 20 34
Trail/Mountain Running Championships - Women 21 35
Section IV - Race Walking Championships
Championship Events - Men and Women 25 36
Section V - Olympic Team Selection
U.S. Olympic Selection Competition 27 37
Section VI - Doping
Doping 32 38
 
ARTICLE II - Officials
Meet Personnel 110 42
Games Committee 111 44
National Technical Officials 115 44
Photo Finish Operator 118 45
Jury of Appeal 119 45
Technical Manager 123 45
Referees 125 46
Field Judges 126 48
Umpires 127 49
Timers 128 50
Starter and Recall Starter 129 51
Lap Scorers 131 52
Competition Secretary 132 53
Marshal 133 53
Announcer 134 54
Surveyor 135 54
Wind Gauge Operator 136 54
Clerk of Course 138 54
Additional Officials 139 55
 
ARTICLE III - Rules of Competition
Section I - General
Competitors Check-In  142 56
Athletic Attire  143 56
Assistance to Athletes  144 58
Disqualification 145 60
Protests  146 60
Measurements and Weights  148 61
Validity of Performance 149 62
Track Lanes and Measurements 160 62
Starting Blocks  161 64
Method of Starting  162 65
The Competition  163 68
The Finish Line 164 71
Timing  165 72
Section II - Track Events
Regulations for Forming Heats 166 76
Running Event Ties 167 82
Hurdles 168 83
Steeplechase 169 85
Relay Races 170 86
Section III - Field Events
General Rules 180 90
High Jump  182 102
High Jump and Pole Vault  183 103
Long Jump  185 104
Triple Jump 186 106
Throwing Events - General Rules  187 107
Putting the Shot  188 112
Throwing the Discus 189 113
Hammer & Discus Throwing Cage  190 114
Throwing the Hammer  191 115
Throwing the Javelin 193 116
Throwing the Weight  195 120
Section IV - Combined Events
Events - General Rules 200 122
Weight Pentathlon 201 126
Section V - Race Walking
General Rules 232 129
Section VI - Cross Country
General Rules 250 136
Course 251 136
Start 252 137
Apparel 253 137
Finish 254 137
Section VII - Long Distance And Road Events (Running And Walking)
Course Certification 240 131
Medical and Safety Concerns for Road Events 241 131
Starting a Running Event 242 132
Course Marking and Monitoring 243 133
The Finish Line and Timing Requirements 244 134
Finish Line Recording and Timing 245 134
Scoring Running Events 246 135
Section VIII - Trail And Mountain Running
General 255 139
 
ARTICLE IV - Records
National Records 260 139
World Records 261 140
Rules Applicable to All Records 262 142
Rules Applicable to Track Events 263 144
Rules Applicable to Field Events 264 145
Rules Applicable to Long Distance Running Events 265 146
Rules Applicable to Race Walking Events 266 147
Events in Which Records Are Recognized 267 148
     Men's Track and Field 267 148
     Women's Track and Field 267 150
     Race Walking 267 152
     Men's Long Distance Running 267 153
     Women's Long Distance Running 267 153
     Masters Long Distance Running 267 153
     Masters Track and Field 267 153
     Youth Athletics 267 153
Noteworthy Performances 268 153
 
ARTICLE VI - Special Programs
Section I - Youth Athletics
General Rules 300 154
Track and Field Events 301 157
Regulations and Specifications 302 158
Regulations for Lanes and Heats 303 164
National Cross Country Program 304 167
Junior Olympics Program 305 168
Special Events and Programs 306 172
Section II - Masters Athletics
General Rules 320 173
Section II-A - Masters Track And Field And Race Walking
General Rules 330 175
Masters Track and Field Championships 331 175
Competitive Rules and Standards for Masters Track and Field 332 177
Masters Race Walking Championships 333 182
Section II-B - Masters Long Distance Running
General Rules 340 183
Masters Long Distance Championships 341 184
 
ILLUSTRATIONS 185

Complete 2004 USATF Rule Book (PDF; 1.5 MB)