Athletics / Guide 05
False starts
World Athletics · 2026In short
Starting before the signal · Disqualification and the combined-events exception
Starting before the signal
Beginning the start before the gun is a false start. In a crouch start this concerns movement that includes or results in hands leaving the ground or feet leaving the block plates; continuous anticipatory movement can also qualify. A certified system's reaction time below 0.100 second signals a possible false start for officials to examine.
Disqualification and the combined-events exception
Normally the athlete responsible is disqualified immediately. In combined events, one false start per race is allowed without disqualification: any athlete responsible for a subsequent false start in that race is disqualified. This is one allowance for the whole race, not one free false start for every competitor.
Independent explanations and translations, not official federation publications. Independent explanations of the supplied World Athletics Competition and Technical Rules, including amendments through 1 July 2026. Event-specific regulations may add conditions. References use PDF viewer page numbers; guide numbers are editorial.
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