OSAKA, Japan, May 6 - Athens Olympic gold medallist Justin Gatlin of the United States said Friday he opposes moves by the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) to change the false start rule in races.
The IAAF plans to introduce a new false start rule at a general congress in August, in which the first athlete to make a false start will be immediately disqualified.
Under the current rule, the athlete making the second false start of a race is disqualified regardless of whether he or she was the athlete responsible for the first one.
Gatlin, the winner of the 100m gold, the 4x100m relay silver and the 200m bronze medals in Athens, said the new rule has already been used in some American college athletics meets.
But he pointed out that only the smallest move of a human being can affect the starting blocks.
It's been shown especially at the 2003 world championships. That caused a lot of confusion, and I think a lot more confusion will happen if we change the start rule again,'' said Gatlin. During the 2003 Paris world championships, a heat for the 100 metres descended into farce when American Jon Drummond and Jamaican Asafa Powell were disqualified for a false start. The competition was held up for over 45 minutes as Drummond lay down in the middle of the track and refused to move. Meanwhile, China's world 100-metre hurdles record holder Liu Xiang welcomed the new rule, although he was disqualified due to a false start in his first indoor race of the season in Shanghai in February. I usually do not make a false start. Even if I do, it’s only 1/1000 or something like that. I hope the IAAF will introduce the new start rule quickly,’’ said China’s first Olympic champion in a track event.
Both Gatlin and Liu were to take part in the Japan Grand Prix Saturday.