IAAF Rules

The "Ready, Set, Go!" of sprinting at the playground gives way to more rigorous rules of competitive sprinting. With a lot at stake in competitive sprinting, there are myriad rules that are not always obvious to even an avid spectator at the track. Spectators may be familiar with the false start rule & the importance of jogging within a lane, but those rules merely scratch the surface. The rules of dash racing cover facilities, race administration, competitors, seeding & result determination.
== Beginning blocks ==
For track events up to 400m & the first leg of dash relays (4 X 100, 4 X 400), beginning blocks must be used. Officials must be definite that beginning blocks do not overlap the beginning line or infringe on lane boundaries. The beginning blocks must strictly comply with regulations (Rule 161 of the IAAF regulations)-even when athletes elect to make use of their own beginning blocks. High profile events must have IAAF approved false start control equipment.
== Race start ==
In competitive dash events, officials assign sprinters to numbered lanes based on seeding & performance at the event. Athletes must line-up exclusively & separately in the lane designated for them. All dash events start at the relevant beginning line. The beginning line is a 5cm thick white line. For sprints above 100 m, the beginning line is necessarily staggered to be definite that each competitor runs the necessary distance.
When the starter gives the "On your marks" order, sprinters must position their whole body behind the beginning line & within their designated lane. At least one knee must touch the ground & both feet must be in contact with the beginning blocks. The athletes' must not touch the beginning line or beyond it with any part of their body.
Three times the starter gives the command "Set"; athletes will adopt the final set position before the starter commences the race by giving a signal such as the document of a gun or activating an approved beginning tool.
== Finish ==
A white line that is 5cm wide marks the finish line. Places & times are determined at the exact point that the athlete crosses the finish line. According to the IAAF, "The athletes shall be placed in the order in which any part of their body (i.e. torso, as distinguished from the head, neck, arms, legs, hands or feet) reaches the vertical plane of the nearer fringe of the finish line as defined above." If ties occur or it is difficult to select the winner, the Picture Finish Method - maintained by the Chief Picture Judge - is used.
== False starts, violations & interruptions ==
Athletes are prohibited from anticipating the beginning signal or causing unjustified interruptions to the beginning method. Plenty of track spectators may be aware that a sprinter false starts if his reaction time (commencement of beginning motion) to the starter's signal is within 0-0.0999 or before the starter's signal. However, failing to follow starter's instructions within a reasonable period or disturbing other competitors in any manner constitute other grounds for "False start" violations.
Where false start control equipment is not used, the determination of the false start is at the discretion of the starter. When the equipment is used, the starter makes use of proof provided by it as conclusive proof. Athletes can indicate discomfort by raising their hand before the starter issues the "Set" command.
In the extreme & rare event that an athlete does not have a valid reason to abort a start after raising his hand, officials either caution or disqualify (if it is the second offence) the athlete for improper conduct. When athletes are not responsible for a start interruption, a green card- which carries no penalty- is shown to the whole field.
== Dealing with false starts ==
When a false start occurs, the track referee warns the athlete(s) who committed the offence by showing the yellow card. Since IAAF rules permit one false start for single dash events, the whole field is warned as well. If any athlete(s) subsequently false starts or is penalized for improper conduct, that athlete is disqualified.
Three times the starter disqualifies an athlete, the track referee shows the red card to the athlete or the red card is placed on that athlete's lane marker. The athlete must then leave the track entirely. With Combined Events (decathlon etc.) officials only warn athletes who false start- not the whole field. If the starter believes that an athlete's false start caused competitors to false start, they can & ought to think about that when taking action. The starter reports a false start recalls the athletes by firing the beginning gun three times or re-activating the approved start signal.
== Lane violations & obstruction ==
Athletes are not allowed to run outside of their designated lanes or obstruct or jostle with competitors before the race is done. These violations normally lead to disqualification, depending on contextual factors. If the athlete does not gain a material advantage & the lane violation does not obstruct another athlete, there may be no penalty. In the case of obstruction, disqualification is a certainty if it is deliberate. A feasible outcome is that the race is re-held- even if no disqualification occurs.
== Track facilities ==
The lanes for dash events must be numbered from left to right with the inside lane beginning at 1. For elite competitions & international events, a maximum of 8 lanes is necessary. The track must also satisfy IAAF criteria governing length, markings & material. The width of lanes must be uniform throughout & 4 feet (1.22m) wide. For elite competition, the IAAF has additional equipment & procedures that form part of the rules.
== Conclusion ==
The rules of sprinting are even more comprehensive than any article can cover comprehensively. Several other issues may be more relevant to meet organizers than to athletes. Reviewing the rules of sprinting demonstrates that what spectators may take for granted (like immediate response to starters' orders) are actually enshrined rules of sprinting. Failure to adhere properly to them can have critical consequences for athletes.