What counts as a false start, and what is the penalty?
Rule- Australia
- Little Athletics
- Standard Rules for Competition
- Under 6-Under 17
- 2026/27
- Officials
- Recall: if the Starter or an assistant thinks the start was not fair, they recall the athletes by firing a gun or activating a suitable audible signal. If the unfair start was not due to any athlete, no warning is given.
- False start: an athlete who leaves their mark with hand or foot after "Set" (events run entirely in lanes) or after "On your marks" (events not run entirely in lanes) and before the gun is fired.
- An athlete who, after "On your marks" or "Set", disturbs other athletes through sound, movement or otherwise may be considered to have committed a false start. Failing to comply with the "Set" command after a reasonable time may also be a false start.
- Penalty: any athlete who commits a false start is warned. An athlete responsible for 2 false starts (3 in combined events) is disqualified from the event. The rule is footnoted that local association rules also apply.
- Standing start allowance: where a standing start is used, an athlete who moves a foot to take up their final starting position immediately after "Set" has complied with the starting rules.
- The Starter is the sole judge of any event connected with the start, and only a Start Referee can overrule the Starter.
- For athletes in T11 and T12 with a guide runner, a breach by the guide runner leading to a warning or disqualification applies to the athlete too.
Updated 24 Oct 2026