Official's Guide to UK Athletics Track and Field Rules U14 to Senior 2026/27

Under World Athletics Rule TR16.7, once an athlete has taken their full and final starting position, they must not commence their start until after the report of the gun. If, in the starter's judgement, they do, it is a false start. Commencement is defined as:

• Crouch start: any motion that includes or results in one or both feet losing contact with the foot plates of the blocks, or one or both hands losing contact with the ground.
• Standing start (races over 400m, except some relays): any motion that results in one or both feet losing contact with the ground.

It is also a false start if an athlete began a movement before the gun that wasn't stopped and carried on into the start (a "rolling start").

Not a false start: other movements that don't break contact, such as lifting and lowering the hips. These may instead be dealt with as improper conduct. In standing starts, an accidental over-balance should be treated as "unsteady" rather than a false start, and an athlete pushed or jostled over the line isn't penalised.

When a certified start information system is used, its evidence is a resource for the officials in making the decision.

Yes. Penalties depend on the age group:

The UK rule for Under 14s and Under 16s applies whether or not a World Athletics certified start information system is in use.

Only the athlete(s) who, in the starter's opinion, were responsible are warned or disqualified, which may be more than one athlete. If no athlete was responsible, a green card is shown to everyone. Where lane markers allow, the matching indication is shown on the lane marker too.

Under World Athletics Rule TR16.5, the starter aborts the start when, after "On your marks" or "Set", an athlete:

1. causes the start to be aborted without a valid reason, for example by raising a hand or standing or sitting up from a crouch start
2. doesn't comply with the commands, or doesn't take their final position at once and without delay
3. disturbs other athletes by sound, movement or otherwise

Consequences:

• For (1) or (2), the referee may warn the athlete for improper conduct, and disqualify them for a second infringement in the same competition. No green card is shown.
• For (3), if it caused another athlete to commit what would otherwise be a false start, the referee may warn (disqualify on a second infringement); otherwise a green card is shown. Repeated movements at several aborted starts can still earn a warning.
• If an outside cause led to the abort, or the referee disagrees with the starter, a green card is shown to all athletes to show no false start was committed.

The starter or a recaller also recalls the race whenever the start was not fair, including blocks slipping or something interfering (TR16.10). For hearing-impaired athletes, a flag, strobe or other visual signal may be used alongside the gun (TR16 S1).

Under World Athletics Rule TR25.6 (all field events except high jump and pole vault):

• More than eight athletes: each gets three trials, then the eight with the best valid performances get three more. Only athletes with at least one measured, valid mark in their first three trials can go through, even if that means fewer than eight.
• Eight or fewer athletes: each gets six trials. Anyone without a valid trial after three rounds competes first in the later rounds.
• After the first three rounds, the order is reverse ranking order, unless the competition rules say otherwise.
• Only one trial may be recorded per athlete in each round.

UK variation (TR25 S3): competitions under UKA Rules may allow three to six trials, with the number, order and method of qualification set by the regulations for that competition, so a league or graded meeting may use fewer than six.

The competing order is drawn by lot (TR25.5), though in the UK the judges have the power to alter the order (TR25 S2). An athlete who chooses to go out of turn may be warned for improper conduct; the trial's result still stands.

The clock starts when the official indicates that all is ready (in pole vault, once the bar is set as the athlete asked). If time runs out before the athlete starts, the trial is a failure; if they have already started, it stands. Times under World Athletics Rule TR25.17:

In combined events, the one-athlete times are 2 minutes (high jump) and 3 minutes (pole vault).

A clock showing the remaining time should be visible to the athlete, and an official normally raises a yellow flag for the final 15 seconds. In vertical jumps, the number of athletes left is counted when the bar goes to a new height.

Recording: in all horizontal jumps and all throws, distances are recorded to the nearest 0.01m below the distance measured if it isn't a whole centimetre (TR29.8, TR32.19). For example, 5.678m is recorded as 5.67m. A valid trial is shown by its measurement (TR25.7).

Horizontal jumps (TR29.9): measure immediately after each valid trial, from the nearest break in the landing area made by any part of the body (or anything attached to it when it made the mark) to the take-off line or its extension.

Throws (TR32.20): measure immediately after each valid trial, from the nearest mark made when the implement first lands:

• shot, discus and hammer: to the inside of the circle's circumference, along a line to the centre of the circle
• javelin: to the inside edge of the arc, along a line to the centre of the circle the arc is part of

Every valid trial must be measured, whatever the distance, because it may matter for countbacks or progression to later rounds. Trials with an irregularity are normally not measured. Implements are carried back to the circle or runway, never thrown back (TR32.18).

Under World Athletics Rule TR25.22 (all field events except high jump and pole vault):

1. Compare the athletes' second-best performances.
2. If still equal, compare the third-best, and so on.
3. If they are still equal after that, it is a tie, and the tie stands for every place, including first. There is no jump-off or throw-off.

The same countback is used for the last of the top-eight places that earn additional trials; if it is still a tie, all the tying athletes get the additional trials. Each athlete is credited with the best of all their trials (TR25.21), which is why every valid trial must be measured, however short.

Under World Athletics Rule TR25.3 and the UKA supplement TR25 S1:

• Runway events: an athlete may use one or two markers (supplied or approved by the organisers) placed alongside the runway; in the high jump markers may go on the runway. If none are supplied, adhesive tape may be used, but not chalk or anything leaving indelible marks.
• Long and triple jump (UK): an athlete may ask for a line of tape (max 5cm wide, 10cm long) alongside the runway 3m from the take-off line; for the triple jump with more than one board, only for the board furthest from the pit.
• Throws from a circle: one marker only, on the ground just behind or beside the circle, not on any line or in the sector, in place only during the athlete's own trial. No personal markers in or beside the landing area.
• Each marker must be a single piece; referees should interpret this sensibly.

Judges direct athletes to adapt or remove non-compliant markers, and remove them if the athlete doesn't.

In England, England Athletics sets three steps for each Level 1 qualification. Both are open to anyone aged 16 or over.

Practical checklists (the Track Judge Checklist and Field Checklist) on myLearning set out the duties to gain experience in. You then work towards the next level at your own pace, with support and mentoring from your County Officials' Secretary.