Parent's Guide to Athletics South Africa Track and Field U16-U20 2026/27

Licence needed: at any competition on the ASA national or provincial fixtures list, an athlete needs an ASA licence or a temporary licence for that event (ASA Rule 24.3). Licences apply at every age: even a child entering a young age group at the ASA Cross Country Championships must have a permanent licence (Rule 26.4.4).

Exception for school events: inter-school events where athletes compete in school kit are development events and don't need a licence up to municipal district level (Rule 26.4.5).

How to register (Rule 26):

1. Join a registered athletics club. Only clubs can issue permanent licences.
2. Complete and sign the standard ASA registration form, and pay the club for the licence. The club keeps the form and records the athlete on the ASA online system.
3. The child receives two licence numbers, worn front and back.
4. For a Junior licence (number starting with "J"), the club must first receive and verify a copy of the child's ID document.

A permanent licence is valid 1 January to 31 December and must be renewed every year. Each province sets the licence price charged by its clubs.

• Permanent licence: includes ASA medical cover, subject to the terms and conditions of the policy (ASA Rule 26.4.6). The insurance is negotiated each October based on the ASA fixture list.
• Temporary licence: no ASA medical insurance. Anyone buying one must sign an indemnity; for a minor, the parent or guardian signs on the child's behalf.
• Late-listed events: competitions added after the fixture lists close in October aren't covered by the ASA athlete medical insurance, and organisers must say so on their promotional material (Rule 22.7).
• Medical staff on site: every competition must have a medical delegate, with at least an ILS paramedic present and a doctor or ALS paramedic and ambulance on standby (Rule 18).

Under ASA Rule 25.19 (following World Athletics shoe rules):

• Each spike may stick out no more than 9mm from the sole or heel, except in high jump and javelin, where 12mm is allowed.
• At least the half of each spike nearest the tip must fit through a 4mm square gauge.
• If the track manufacturer or stadium operator sets a shorter maximum, that applies. Call room judges check that athletes have the right spikes fitted.

ASA's guidance on spike shapes:

• Synthetic tracks: spikes that don't pierce the rubber surface, such as tower-shaped spikes.
• Grass tracks: pyramid-shaped spikes for grip.
• Asphalt tracks: needle-shaped spikes.
• Blank spikes fill unused holes in the sole.

Under ASA Rule 25:

• New licensed club members competing as individuals at club and provincial-level meets don't have to buy club kit straight away; ASA encourages getting it within a year. Until then, kit must be neat, not see-through, not revealing, and carry no commercial branding other than what the organiser provides.
• To count for a club team prize, full club colours must be worn.
• Temporary licence holders must wear neutral colours with no commercial branding.
• At ASA championships, provincial team kit is compulsory.
• Inter-school events where athletes wear school kit are development events and don't need a licence up to municipal district level.
• Licence numbers go on the front and back of the vest (only one is needed in high jump and pole vault). Not wearing them can lead to disqualification.

Undergarments that show (such as a T-shirt under a vest or tights under shorts) must be clean and free of markings.

ASA Rule 23.4 sets minimum ages for road races, the same for boys and girls, based on age on race day:

So a 13-year-old can run a 5km but not a 10km, and a half marathon is open from 16. Fun runs of 8km or less fall outside this table. In cross country, U16s race 4km, U18 boys 6km and girls 4km, and U20 men 8km and women 6km.

• Entered by the province: every athlete at an ASA (South African) championship must be authorised and entered by their provincial athletics body (ASA Rule 24.1). Selection criteria are set by each province.
• Qualified but not selected: the athlete can still enter as an individual, but only through the provincial office, competing in club colours (Rule 24.2).
• Permanent licence: only athletes with a permanent ASA licence through a club may compete at national and inter-provincial championships, regardless of age.
• Provincial kit: compulsory at ASA championships (Rule 25.14).
• Withdrawing after selection: an athlete selected for a provincial or national team who declines or doesn't turn up may not compete anywhere for 8 days either side of that competition, unless the ASA or provincial board waives it (Rule 24.4).
• One age category: athletes may only compete in one age category at a competition, unless their own age group has no matching event.

Yes, but under ASA Rule 2:

• Where junior (age category) prize money is paid, it must be done according to ASA's financial and safeguarding policies.
• If a race offers junior awards, all ages up to 19 compete as juniors.
• Prize money is paid directly to the athlete. An athlete can authorise someone else in writing to collect it.
• Prize money must be equal for boys and girls.
• At ASA national and provincial championships, medal and prize winners must attend the award ceremony or forfeit the prize money, unless they're competing in another event, injured or ill, in doping control, or excused by the technical delegate.

Only eligible athletes can receive prize money. Temporary licence holders can win individual prizes but not team prizes.

ASA follows World Athletics TR 16:

• In an ordinary track race, any athlete responsible for a false start is disqualified straight away, with no warning first. A red and black card is shown.
• In the track events of a combined event (such as the U16 pentathlon or U18 heptathlon and decathlon), one false start per race is allowed. Everyone in the race is warned with a yellow and black card, and anyone who false starts again is disqualified.
• A false start means starting to move (hands or feet leaving the blocks or ground) after taking up the final set position but before the gun.
• Fidgeting, standing up without a good reason or disturbing others isn't a false start, but the referee can give a warning for improper conduct, and a second warning in the same competition means disqualification.

ASA's domestic rules don't set a separate, more lenient false start rule for youth age groups.