It was the weekend between March 7 and 8 when in Salsomaggiore (Parma) in Italy the  Italian Group of Judges then under the guidance of the volcanic Secretary General who was Tiziano Campedelli, organized, like this year an International Convention for National Race Walking judges.

The Convention were two international guests:

- Palle Lassen, then Chairman of the IAAF Race Walking Committee

- Jean Dahm, then Member of the IAAF Race Walking Committee

It was during the Convention that, for the first time in Italy (but we believe it was the first time in the World) in one of the reports spoke of the possibility of "changing the DQ with the Penalty", linking it specifically to the youth categories of U16.

The topic was closely linked to the discussion had in another previous international conference in Carpi in 1989, on trauma and the possible loss of the young athlete after a DQ.

The topic was then introduced by the new international race walking judge of Italy, Lamberto Vacchi, who the previous year had been part of the jury at the World Championships in Tokyo.

Marcia dal Mondo received from Lamberto Vacchi his report, that with pleasure we present to all our readers for reading (unfortunately only in Italian original language).

Twenty-three years after the Pit Lane Rule has become an anchor in the youth category, until it get to be used from 2016 also in the U20 World Championships and the World IAAF Race Walking Team Championships (for U20).

We was very happy, from the reading of this historical document, that the hypothesis assumed at that time (set out in paragraphs 1 and 3 of the report) were the ones finally chosen by the IAAF.

 

 

 

 

Pit Lane in Cali - World Youth Championships 2015