Among Competition Rule amendments approved by the IAAF Congress in Osaka:
The start: add rule 162.5: When an athlete, after the command “On your marks” or “Set” as appropriate, and before the report of the gun or approved starting apparatus, aborts the start, for instance by raising a hand and/or standing in the case of a crouch start, without a valid reason, (such reason to be evaluated by the relevant Referee), the Referee will warn him for improper conduct.
In this case, as well as when an extraneous reason was considered the cause for aborting the start, a green card shall be shown to all the athletes to indicate that a false start was not committed by any athlete.
Putting the shot: add note to rule 188.1: Cartwheeling techniques are not permitted.
Start and finish on oval track:
amend rule 214.6: For races of 400m or less, each athlete shall have a separate lane at the start.
Races up to, and including 300m [original rule stated 200m] shall be run entirely in lanes.
Races over 300m [original rule stated 200m], and less than 800m shall start and continue in lanes until the end of the second bend.
Relay races: add new (5) to rule 217: The waiting athletes in the third and fourth legs of the 4x200m relay race, in the second, third and fourth legs of the 4dx400m and the 4x800m relay race shall, under the direction of a designated official, place themselves in their waiting position in the same order (inside to out) as the order of their respective team members as they enter the last bend. Once the incoming athletes have passed this point, the waiting athletes shall maintain their order, and shall not exchange positions at the beginning of the take-over zone. If an athlete does not follow this rule, his team shall be disqualified.
World records: add to rule 260.22 (f): (from 1 Jan 2009) For all records up to and including 400 metres under rule 261 and 263, starting blocks linked to an IAAF approved false start control apparatus under rule 161.2 must have been used and have functioned correctly so that reaction times were obtained.