The recent “Contrived Tie” situation isn’t the only weird rule. I came across this one over the weekend:
3.7. Disqualification
c.)Procedure after Disqualification:
(i) An athlete may finish the competition if a Technical Official issue a disqualification.
So, even being DSQ doesn’t mean your day has to end. 
Anyone else have a favourite “weird rule”?
How about Competition Age being how old you are on Dec 31 instead of just, you know, you’re actual age
Also, got yelled at for my jersey being fully unzipped, which seems a bit asinine in 90+ degree weather
Rule: Uniforms with a front zipper may be unzipped to any length, provided, that (i) the zipper should be connected at the bottom of the uniform at all times.
Also, got yelled at for my jersey being fully unzipped, which seems a bit asinine in 90+ degree weather
In middle/long distance races, it gets even weirder:
15.7. Uniform:
b.) Zipper can be undone to the point of the end of the breastbone (sternum) during the competition, with the exception of the last 200 meters of the run, when it needs to be zipped up.
I’m pretty sure this one’s about sponsorship money, and making sure the logos that sponsors pay for, are visible in the finisher photos
That’s not a weird rule that’s in the event an DQ was for mistaken identity. If it was mistaken but you still quit you have no way of rectifying the result. But if you finish you get that spot back. Yes it’s happened in races before. Always finish a race and/or serve your penalty. Then you can protest and get it right.
The age rule really screwed me when I was racing BMX in my younger years. I raced at UCI worlds when I was 7 but had to ride in the age 8 expert class. Felt like everyone was a foot taller than me.
Here’s a weird rule - you’re allowed to wear 5mm of neoprene on your entire body in 83.9 degree water for a 2.4 mile swimming leg
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I hate the rule that says you have to stand of the national anthem. What if you are not from this country or you want to sit and not partake in the national pride. According to the USAT, I cannot sit or kneel for the national anthem. That is an unconstitutional rule and I should have the right to not participate in the anthem. Btw, I served in the Military too, so save me violins playing.
Here’s a weird rule - you’re allowed to wear 5mm of neoprene on your entire body in 83.9 degree water for a 2.4 mile swimming leg
To be fair, that’s a USAT thing to allow it in that “optional” range, and even then it amounts to a DQ (they don’t say it outright, but that’s what it is). I am with you in that I would prefer the wetsuit be used for its intended purpose (to keep you warm) and lower that cutoff to something around 73 degrees, however in the interest of keeping this sport alive I will concede that if people want to try to kill themselves by swimming in hot water in 5mm of neoprene, so be it.
The age rule really screwed me when I was racing BMX in my younger years. I raced at UCI worlds when I was 7 but had to ride in the age 8 expert class. Felt like everyone was a foot taller than me.
Out of all NHL players drafted bewtween 1980 and 2007:
36% were born in January, February, or March14.5% were born in October, November, December
At a young age, the kids like you who had to compete with the older kids had less opportunity to shine because older kids tend to be taller and stronger. Those taller and stronger kids then get sent to the better camps with better coaches and excel while the younger kids fall behind.
Because of this, if you had to bet your life on what month and NHL player was born on, always guess January.
That is an unconstitutional rule and I should have the right to not participate in the anthem. Btw, I served in the Military too, so save me violins playing.
A couple of weeks ago some of my ex-military friends got together to re-hash old times. This came up with a few people getting all bent out of shape about disrespecting the flag that we fought for. I looked at them and asked “Isn’t the right to do that what we actual fought for, the ideas, and not the flag itself?” Dead silence.
People don’t understand that the thing that makes this country great is fact that people can do things like that and not be hauled off to a secret prison.
/People don’t understand that the thing that makes this country great is fact that people can do things like that and not be hauled off to a secret prison. .
Absolutely, the oath I took in the Army was to uphold the Constitution, it said nothing about the flag or a song about the flag. It’s funny how these people get this all wrong and forget we are a country of FREEDOM. The USAT forgets this too.
I didn’t know that was a rule, but I feel ya. I hate the anthem being played for EVERY. SINGLE. THING. I continue to get ready and then stare at all the people as its going on wondering if they are tired of this shit as much as I am.
I didn’t know that was a rule, but I feel ya. I hate the anthem being played for EVERY. SINGLE. THING. I continue to get ready and then stare at all the people as its going on wondering if they are tired of this shit as much as I am.
I think the whole national anthem thing is over done and even borderline Facist.
Today’s farce illustrates what a miserable fun-sponge bunch of c××xs run the ITU. No wonder all the the reports of the sport in decline.
Next they’ll have rules to DQ someone for something as utterly farsical as having a zip undone by half an inch.
Oh hang on… they already have that rule.
Meanwhile they’re happy to brush doping offences under the carpet.
Not doing the image of the sport ANY good at all. In fact making it look bleedin’ petty and stupid.
How about Competition Age being how old you are on Dec 31 instead of just, you know, you’re actual age
That rule makes perfect sense. It would suck to qualify for your age group championship on August 1st at age 39 and then not be able to compete in the actual championship on September 1st at age 40.
Dec. 31 is great because that date is stone cold offseason. It lets you complete at one age for an entire season.
I am a former USAT Cat 1 Official - can you please show me in the rules of competition where this is, as I have never read or seen this written? Thanks
Dec. 31 is great because that date is stone cold offseason. It lets you complete at one age for an entire season.
So is Jan 1st.
Dec. 31 is great because that date is stone cold offseason. It lets you complete at one age for an entire season.
So is Jan 1st.
Yeah, either one. Just pick a date. Either first day of the year or last day of the year makes the most sense for simplicity of aligning Competition Age on a year boundary.
That rule makes perfect sense. It would suck to qualify for your age group championship on August 1st at age 39 and then not be able to compete in the actual championship on September 1st at age 40.
Dec. 31 is great because that date is stone cold offseason. It lets you complete at one age for an entire season.
Except for that fact that it greatly disadvantages people with late birthdays (mainly at younger ages where a year gap makes up a substantially larger portion of their life). Gladwell does an interested write up on the same situation with hockey players and how the majority of NHL players have Jan/Feb/Mar birthdays for this precise reason.
And to your point, you can qualify for a national/world championship in sep/oct/nov/dec and be racing it the next year anyway. So I don’t buy that argument
Except for that fact that it greatly disadvantages people with late birthdays (mainly at younger ages where a year gap makes up a substantially larger portion of their life). Gladwell does an interested write up on the same situation with hockey players and how the majority of NHL players have Jan/Feb/Mar birthdays for this precise reason.
There are NHL age-groupers? I don’t understand…
And to your point, you can qualify for a national/world championship in sep/oct/nov/dec and be racing it the next year anyway. So I don’t buy that argument
Maybe in triathlon? I’ve never seen that before. (not a triathlete). My experience is running, rowing and cycling, mostly.
I still think in the predominant world of masters/age-groupers the notion of a Competition Age on a year boundary greatly simplifies things, and makes great sense.
Edit: And even in your presumably triathlon case where you can race an age-group championship the year after you qualified it would take rules language that’s at least equally confusing. E.g. something like “Your Competition Age for the championship event is the age you qualified at, rather than, you know, your actual age.” Is that better somehow?