For some time it is a debate in Italy on the real goal underlying the new rule of the Pit Lane in youth.

For Marcia dal Mondo is clear from the start that the primary goal is indicated by the IAAF to "reduce, if not eliminate, the disqualification" of youth, that many, if not too many times, causes loss of athletes which, if properly followed and coached, may be the promising walkers.

Now we ask the following question: is it right then enlarge this experimental project of Rule also to the athletes U18 and then later even to U20?

In our opinion the answer cannot be anything but: yes!

Yes, because the young in his growth path gets used to understand that the disqualification is not the "instinctive reaction" of the jury at his incorrect walk, and that he was offered a "second chance".

Only after that even this "second chance" has failed would click the "final decision" to exclude him from the race, and learn to conceive the penalty (which was to become disqualification without appeal) as a corrective and not only a punishment.

Seems all too obvious that this process does not need a short period of metabolism, and that, if started in young age, maybe should last for several years: here the reasons of the use of Pit Lane rule "step by step".

We asked to Maurizio Damilano, Chairman of the IAAF Walking Committee, his thoughts on this matter, and we have received about the following answer.

"The Pit Lane Rule for young people is not a shortcut to learn not to walk properly, but rather a path to realize that you have more advantages to walk properly that to seek the performance walking not properly.

It’s a path of culture, as well as opportunities to learn.

If you understand the importance of the Pit Lane Rule will be easier to accept after the judgment the eventual disqualification, indeed, I am convinced that will facilitate the search for solutions to technical problems in order to avoid penalties.

And it will allow this without the psychological burden incredibly big for a young man to be "kicked out" to prevent him from concluding the race still getting a final result, without the deep humiliation that who was disqualified knows.

I do not think there is complete honesty in those who criticize the Pit Lane Rule, but rather a conservatism that ends up brake and create more problems.

See the Pit Lane Rule as a bad form of education for young people as they would lead them to develop an idea of ​​permissiveness it seems outsized.

It has been discussed a lot at international level and it is agreed that the penalty was the real deterrent capable of exactly to understand the convenience to walk good rather than very quickly but then losing long time penalty.

The timing of penalties for the various distances is in this direction, although there is who, while in agreement with this rule, is calling for a reduction of the penalty.

I personally believe that the way to less long penalties could lead to a misinterpretation of this tool, and I see in these demands the continuity of a distorted idea focused on performance rather than on the quality of how it is obtained.

Certainly there are still some things to better assess, such as whether these stop in very cold temperatures, as might occur in some colder countries, may have consequences on the health and appearance of muscular in young guys, but I think it is nevertheless things evaluated directly by the Meeting Director as happened in the past on the discretion of offering water to the athletes in competitions under 20 Km.

The Pit Lane Rule has deliberately followed (I should say is following) a progressive because starting with the under 16, they can use at the same continuity of this management of the sanctions judgment, and then get ready mentally in the traditional system. The Pit Lane Rule course also aims to integrate with the desired introduction of a technological system to control the loss of contact in walk."

Maurizio Damilano