2008 Competition Rules

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Rule Page
Article I - Championship Events and USA Olympic Team Selection
     Section I - General
     National Championships 1 12
Regional Championships 2 13
Association Championships 3 14
Eligibility for Team Championships 4 14
Awards 5 15
General 6 16
Team Scoring 7 17
Non-Championship Competitions 8 19
Section II - Men's and Women's Track and Field Championships
Outdoor Track and Field Championships 10 20
Indoor Track and Field Championships 11 24
National Track and Field Championships 12 26
Other Championships 13 27
Transferring Membership Prior to Championships 14 29
Section III - Cross Country & Long Distance Running Championships
Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships 15 30
Long Distance Running Championships - Men 16 31
Trail/Mountain Running Championships - Men 17 32
Long Distance Running Championships - Women 20 32
Trail/Mountain Running Championships - Women 21 33
Section IV - Race Walking Championships
Championship Events - Men and Women 25 34
Section V - Olympic Team Selection
U.S. Olympic Selection 27 35
 
Article II - Doping
Doping 32 36
 
Article III - Officials
Meet Personnel 110 40
Games Committee 111 42
National Technical Officials 115 42
Photo Finish Operator 118 43
Jury of Appeal 119 43
Technical Manager 123 44
Event Presentation Manager 124 44
Referee 125 44
Judges 126 46
Umpires 127 47
Timers 128 48
Starter and Recall Starter 129 50
Lap Scorers 131 51
Competition Secretary 132 52
Marshal 133 52
Announcer 134 52
Surveyor 135 52
Wind Gauge Operator 136 53
Electronic Measurement Judge 137 53
Clerk of Course 138 53
Additional Officials 139 54
 
Article IV - Rules of Competition
Section I - General
Competitor's Check-In 142 56
Athletic Attire 143 56
Assistance to Athletes 144 58
Disqualification 145 61
Protests 146 61
Mixed Competition 147 63
Measurements and Weights 148 63
Validity of Performance 149 64
Electronic Devices 159 64
Track Lanes and Measurements 160 64
Starting Blocks 161 66
Method of Starting 162 67
The Competition 163 70
The Finish Line 164 73
Timing 165 73
Section II - Track Events
Regulations for Forming Heats 166 78
Running Event Ties 167 84
Hurdles 168 84
Steeplechase 169 86
Relay Races 170 88
Section III - Field Events
General Rules 180 92
High Jump and Pole Vault 181 99
High Jump 182 103
Pole Vault 183 104
Long Jump 185 106
Triple Jump 186 108
Throwing Events - General Rules 187 108
Putting the Shot 188 114
Throwing the Discus 189 115
Hammer and Discus Throwing Cage 190 116
Throwing the Hammer 191 117
Throwing the Javelin 193 118
Throwing the Weight 195 122
Section IV - Combined Events
Events - General Rules 200 125
Weight Pentathlon 201 129
Ultra Weight Pentathlon 202 129
Section V - Indoor Competitions
Applicability of Indoor Rules 210 131
Indoor Stadium 211 131
Track Lanes & Measurement 212 131
Regulations for Forming Heats 214 133
Shoes 215 135
Hurdles 216 135
Relay Races 217 136
High Jump 218 137
Pole Vault 219 137
Horizontal Jumps 220 137
Shot Put/Weight Throw 221 137
Combined Events 222 138
Section VI - Race Walking
Judges of Race Walking 230 139
Race Walking Officials 231 141
General Rules 232 141
Section VII - Long Distance and Road Events Running and Walking
Course Certification 240 143
Medical and Safety Concerns for Road Events 241 143
Starting a Running Event 242 144
Course Marking and Monitoring 243 145
The Finish Line 244 146
Finish Line Recording and Timing 245 146
Scoring Running Events 246 147
Section VIII - Cross Country
General 250 148
Course 251 148
Start 252 149
Apparel 253 149
Finish 254 150
Section IX - Trail and Mountain Running
General 255 151
 
Article V - Records
World Records 260 151
National Records 261 152
Rules Applicable to All Records 262 154
Rules Applicable to Track Events 263 156
Rules Applicable to Field Events 264 158
Rules Applicable to Long Distance Running Events 265 158
Rules Applicable to Race Walking Events 266 160
Events in Which Records Are Recognized 267 160
    Men's Track and Field 267 160
    Women's Track and Field 267 162
    Indoor Events 267 162
    Junior Records (All Outdoors) 267 163
    Race Walking 267 163
    Men's Long Distance Running 267 164
    Women's Long Distance Running 267 164
    Masters Long Distance Running 267 164
    Youth Athletics 267 164
Noteworthy Performances 268 164
 
Article VI - Special Programs
Section I - Youth Athletics
General Rules 300 166
Track and Field Events 301 169
Regulations and Specifications 302 170
Regulations for Lanes and Heats 303 176
National Cross Country Program 304 179
Junior Olympics Program 305 179
Special Events and Programs 306 182
Section II - Masters Athletics
General Rules 320 184
Section II-A - Masters Track and Field and Race Walking
General Rules 330 186
Masters Track and Field Championships 331 186
Competitive Rules and Standards For Masters Track and Field 332 188
Masters Race Walking Championships 333 194
Section II-B - Masters Long Distance Running
General Rules 340 195
Masters Long Distance Championships 341 195
 
Illustrations 199
 
Special Section
Adaptations to USA Track & Field Rules of Competition for Individuals with Disabilities 213

 

Complete 2008 USATF Competition Rules Book (PDF; 3.1 MB)
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