What are the false start rules in Canada?

• Individual events: except in combined events, any athlete responsible for a false start is disqualified by the Starter. Athletics Canada applies this to U16 athletes too. The Starter's Assistants raise a red and black (diagonally halved) card in front of the athlete.
• Combined events: on a first false start the athlete responsible is warned with a yellow and black (diagonally halved) card, and all other athletes in the race are warned in the same way that anyone committing a further false start will be disqualified. Further false starts lead to disqualification of the athlete responsible (red and black card).
• Several athletes moving: the Starter should warn or disqualify only the athlete or athletes who, in their opinion, were responsible for the false start. This may be more than one athlete.
• Recall not due to an athlete: if the recalled or aborted start is not due to any athlete, no warnings are given and a green card is shown to all the athletes.
• Unfair start: the Starter or any Recaller who thinks the start was not fair (for example blocks slipping or a foreign object interfering) recalls the athletes.

Sources: Athletics Canada Technical Rules, December 2025 (variation to Rule 16.8); World Athletics Technical Rules (C2.1, edition last modified 1 July 2026), Rule 16.