What is the penalty for a false start, and does it differ for young athletes?
Rule- UK
- UK Athletics
- World Athletics rules
- Track and field
- Under 14 to senior
- UKA Rules 2026
- 2026/27
- Officials
Yes. Penalties depend on the age group:
| Athletes | Individual events | Combined events |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 and older (World Athletics TR16.8-16.9) | Disqualified for their first false start (red and black card) | First false start in the race: the athlete(s) responsible and everyone else in the race are warned (yellow and black card); anyone making a further false start is disqualified |
| Under 14 and Under 16, and all athletes in Open Graded races that U14s or U16s may enter (UKA TR16 S2) | Warned for a first false start; disqualified for a second by the same athlete | Warned; disqualified for a third by the same athlete |
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.
Updated 21 Oct 2026