La novità era nell’aria da tempo ed era già stata testata quest’anno nelle due gare del IAAF Challenge in Messico.

Le penalità utilizzare per la Pit Lane Rule, cambiano veste e vengono adattate anche ad un possibile uso per l’attività senior, ed in particolare a quella a squadre.

Riportiamo il nuovo testo della regola 230.7 (c) (in inglese) che entrerà in vigore dal 1.11.2017 (in grassetto i cambi).

(c) A Pit Lane shall be used for any race where the applicable Regulations for the competition so provide and may be used for other races as determined by the relevant governing body or Organising Committee. In such cases, an athlete will be required to enter the Pit Lane and remain there for the applicable period (as set out in the Regulations or Organising Committee decision) once they have received three Red Cards and are so advised by the Chief Judge or someone delegated by him. 

The applicable period in the Pit Lane will be the following. 

For races: 

Up to 5km: 0.5 min

Up to 10km: 1 min

Up to 20km: 2 min 

Up to 30km: 3 min

Up to 40km: 4 min

Up to 50km: 5 min

If, at any time, the athlete receives an additional Red Card from a Judge other than one of the three who had previously sent a Red Card, he shall be disqualified. An athlete who fails to enter the Pit Lane when required to do so, or remain there for the applicable period, shall be disqualified by the Chief Judge. 

Queste nuove penalità risultano ora più consone e sono frutto della sperimentazione fatta negli ultimi quattro anni su questa nuova regola.

Appare evidente che il loro utilizzo ora è aperto a tutte le categorie, qualora i relativi regolamenti nazionali o degli organizzatori lo prevedano.

In particolare ci piace segnalare che nei prossimi Campionati Mondiali a Squadre di Marcia a Taicang questa nuova regola troverà applicazione, segnando così una svolta notevole nelle classifiche a squadre.

Oltre alla regola 230.7 (c) è stata anche modificata le Regole 230.10 (d) e 230.10 (h). A quest’ultimea è stata aggiunta una importante nota.

Anche in questo caso riportiamo l’intero nuovo testo

(d) Refreshments, which may be provided by either the Organising Committee or the athlete, shall be placed at the stations so that they are easily accessible to, or may be put by authorized persons into the hands of, the athletes. 

Refreshments provided by the athletes shall be kept under the supervision of officials designated by the Organising Committee from the moment that the refreshments are delivered by the athletes or their representatives 

(h) An athlete who receives or collects refreshment or water from a place other than the official stations, except where provided for medical reasons from or under the direction of race officials, or takes the refreshment of another athlete, should, for a first such offence, be warned by the Referee normally by showing a yellow card. For a second offence, the Referee shall disqualify the athlete, normally by showing a red card. The athlete shall then immediately leave the course. 

Note: An athlete may receive from or pass to another athlete refreshment, water or sponges provided it was carried from the start or collected or received at an official station. However any continuous support from an athlete to one or more others in such a way may be regarded as unfair assistance and warnings and/or disqualifications as outlined above may be applied.