Looks like
#Canada wasn’t only team to step on line in 4x100m@ewingsports@trackalerts@ctvolympics@lisette_stapley twitter.com/sprint_mgmt/st…— Kris Mychasiw (@sprint_mgmt) August 12, 2012
Yep, that’s the foot of a Trinidad and Tobago sprinter touching the lane during last night’s heart crushing 4 x 100m men’s relay. T&T took the Bronze after Canada was DQ’d for a similar lane violation committed by captain Jared Connaughton.
Your move IOC. Double Bronze or bust.
Update: Confusion abounds as the T&T runner didn’t commit a lane infringement during the turn, which was the crime committed by Connaughton. Commenter Emmceegee directs us to IAAF rule 163.3a which states:
“In all races run in lanes, each athlete shall keep within his allocated lane from start to finish. This shall also apply to any portion of a race run in lanes.”
So technically, fifth place France should get the Bronze. Feign your outrage elsewhere, unfortunately. Yes, rules are rules, but discretion should be an option. Like the T&T runner, Connaughton didn’t impede any of his fellow competitors. A strict interpretation of the law is needed, but why is there zero flexibility? Convoluted, thy name is Olympics.
Update II: Via commenter Wayne Chow, rule 163.3b seems to exonerate T&T as they gained no advantage in stepping on the lane line. Thanks for the tips, folks. The IAAF rule book is a tricky one.
Not double bronze or bust, but instead Trinidad & Tobago also gets disqualified and France, who finished 5th is awarded the bronze.
That DQ’ing rule only applies on the turns of the track!!! Get your stuff togather and do some research
you should do some research and learn to spell
learn how to spell… Don’t bash others for their spelling if you can’t formulate a proper sentence.
im pretty sure “learn to spell” isnt considered fully grammatically incorrect…being and english major…#justsaying …but no excuse for “togather”…C’MON SON
Not only to turns according to IAAF rule 163.3a: “In all races run in lanes, each athlete shall keep within his allocated lane from start to finish. This shall also apply to any portion of a race run in lanes.” Elmi is right – France should get the bronze.
He’s actually right, the rule was changed a couple years ago, what you have must be outdated. Stepping outside or on your lane on a straight-away isn’t illegal unless you interfere with another athlete, but around the bend it’s an automatic DQ.
Um… no that rule does not apply to turns ??? I don’t know where or why you would think that but it is for the entirety of the race NOT turns….. get your facts right buds…… I’m a Canadian from T&T decent. Breaks my heart to strip both of them but it should go to France and if not then give it back to Canada!!
*just turns*
I live in Trinidad and I think that the whole situation is just so unfortunate !
Maybe ure IN ur lane UNLTIL u CROSS the white line… being on the white line maybe still keeps u in lane?
Nope, Connaughton stepped on the line, he didn’t step over it, so the rule still applies if you step on the line. The commentators said it was because then they weren’t technically running 100m.
oh please cry me a river. stop being a sour puss. canada got disqualified and tnt got the bronze, point blank
Stepping on the inside line around the turn effectively shortens the distance that the runner is travelling. Even if it’s only by centimetres, it could make a difference; a race can be decided by hundredths of a second. On a straightaway, I think runners are only DQ’d if they impede another runner. This is my understanding based on comments from the analysts on CTV.
Good points Marc. Did the Canadian impede the other runner though?
Don’t think so, but since he stepped on the inside line of the turn, it’s irrelevant.
This is correct. Lane violation in corner is automatic DQ, in the straights so long as another athlete is not affected its all good.
Whoever wrote this post needs to do a bit of research first. A simple google search of the IAAF rules would have sorted this out pretty quick. Check out Asafa Powell’s preliminary run – he hits the line for 15m but since he was so far ahead it was fine.
IF you geot a picture of canada’s run you’ll see he tep out of his lane . in this instance the trini guy didnt he stepped on the line
Trinidad and Tobago are fine. All of you quoting IAAF 163.3 (a) obviously haven’t read the very next clause. Rule 163.4 (b) is the “straight/outer line — no material advantage” exception that applies to Trinidad and Tobago.
Now, about the USA…
p.s. Kris Mychasiw @sprint_mgmt has admitted he got the T&T situation wrong. So give it a rest.
wow… this really pisses me off… cant believe the judges didnt see that… france deserves bronze….
Olympics are a joke! Its not wat its suppose to be wat it says its all about! Its a sham, a farce! Unity my ass! Ive seen soo much hipocracy in each olympics more and more! Its a joke! Everyone who watches it is a joke!
You can step on the lines in the straightaway, but not the corners. Do some research
Not a violation, as it falls under 163.4(b)
Running in Lanes
3. (a) In all races run in lanes, each athlete shall keep within his
allocated lane from start to finish. This shall also apply to any
portion of a race run in lanes.
(b) In all races (or any part of races) not run in lanes, an athlete
running on a bend, on the outer half of the track as per Rule
162.10, or on the diversion from the track for the steeplechase
water jump, shall not run on or inside the kerb or line marking
the applicable border (the inside of the track, the outer half of
the track, or the diversion from the track for the steeplechase
water jump).
Except as stated in Rule 163.4, if the Referee is satisfied, on the report
of a Judge or Umpire or otherwise, that an athlete has violated this
Rule, he shall be disqualified.
4. An athlete shall not be disqualified if he
(a) is pushed or forced by another person to run outside his lane or
on or inside the kerb or line marking the applicable border, or
(b) runs outside his lane in the straight or outside the outer line of his
lane on the bend, with no material advantage thereby being gained and no other athlete
being obstructed.
Has anybody seen the pic that looks like the handoff from 3rd leg (Gay?) to anchor (Bailey) has Gay step outside his lane?
This picture?
https://twitter.com/AndrewGayle/status/234830795158720513/photo/1/large
one should keep in mind that, taking pictures from different angles can give you a different effect. in this case, show me a picture from the front and the runner’s right side that shows the same result.
heck, show me one from behind
look at USA Runner ‘s foot (one behind his team mate)
http://www.london2012.com/athletics/photos/event=athletics-men-4x400m-relay/pictures.html#joshua-mance-the-united-states-passes-the-baton-tony-mcquay-the-united-states
look at both of them
gay is well within his lane which is the curved line not that straight line he steps on…fair is fair !!
If the Trinidad team is exonerated, then the Canadian team should be too.
Gay stepped out of his lane! Fair is NOT fair! Dont let your bias opinion cloud your judgment!
the straight line is not the lane line on the turn – it’s the curved line that is blurred, and he is inside it. No violation there.
It’s not just stepping on the line… Look at C’da properly, the crossed OVER the line, They stepped on the line and then over the line twice, that;s impeding the other athlete..
maybe it’s time to review the rules for the future.