Take note of rules and regulations regarding races
Running is a fast growing sport in Limpopo and like any other sport, there are rules to keep the runners safe.
POLOKWANE – Running is a fast growing sport in Limpopo and like any other sport, there are rules to keep the runners safe.
Many runners often get disqualified or receive a warning during races about disobeying the rules as they might not know them, and this usually leads to more complications and conflict.
Leon Bannau, secretary of Limpopo Athletics and Roelf Coetzee, president of Road Race Commission, want to share the Athletics South Africa (ASA) rules with runners and race organisers to keep them safe, follow the rules and enjoy the race.
In South African national competitions, provincial and inter-provincial competitions, district, zone and regional competitions and competitions between two or more clubs, schools, tertiary institutions and associate members and forces, the ASA athletics rules and regulations will apply.
ASA rules and regulations section 2 rule 11.1 include the rules of organising an athletics competition:
All new meetings in provinces (meetings not in the provincial calendars as approved by ASA), must be submitted to ASA for formal sanctioning. This applies to all athletics meetings (road running, track and field, cross country and race walking). ASA reserves the right not to sanction any meeting where the details of the meeting are not submitted to ASA for approval at least three months before the preferred date of the meeting.
Section 2 rule 12.1 includes the progression of distance and age groups:
• 5 km and lower distance races, the runner should be at least nine years old.
• Between 5 km and 10 km races, the runner should be at least 14 years old.
• Between 10 km and 15 km races, the runner should be at least 15 years old.
• Between 15 km and 21.1 km races, the runner should be at least 16 years old.
• Between 21.1 km and 32 km races the runner should be at least 19 years old.
• For 32 km and longer distance races the runner should be at least 20 years old.
More of the ASA rules and regulations 2015 and the IAAF – International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) competition rules 2014/15 (links below) and if runners or race organisers are uncertain about something regarding the rules, they are welcome to contact Bannau at 082 455 7244.
IAAF Competition Rules 2014-2015 (1)
