Respect your rivals, congratulate your opponents, and make sure every competitor has a fair chance to show his or her best.

As outdoor season (hopefully) gets into full swing with a set of invitationals this weekend, NCRunners will focus on some common rules violations.  The idea is to help athletes and coaches avoid disqualifications, especially in areas where they are easily preventable.  Thursday we will focus on the subject of uniforms, where the majority of violations come, but today's topic is sportsmanship.  There are several disqualifications that are possible based on an athlete's behavior and conduct, and they can happen before, during, or after an event.  So take a look below, and educate yourself to prevent these things from happening to you!

Note: these rules come from the National Federation of High School (NFHS) rule book, which is used by both the NCHSAA and NCISAA.  Each sanctioning body is allowed to interpret the rules differently.  I have attended more NCHSAA rule interpretation sessions than I can remember, including this year's, so these are presented as NCHSAA interpretations, but these should apply (at least generallyt) to both organizations.  

Bad Language

This is the easiest to understand - athletes are not allowed to use vulgar language during competition.  It doesn't matter whether it is directed at an opponent or at yourself (in frustration) - although saying something to another athlete is more likely to earn you the disqualification.  So watch your mouth, and don't let your emotions get the best of you!  By the way - this rule can be extended to athletes in the stands, and even to spectators, and could result in someone being removed from the facility or even an entire team being disqulified in extreme cases.

Throwing the Baton

When a relay team loses, sometimes the anchor leg throws down the baton in disgust.  This is an automatic disqualification, and it is one of the easiest to call since there are usually several officials around the finish line.  It goes without saying that throwing the baton at your opponent is unsportsmanlike, but throwing it at the track or even onto the infield is also illegal.  As with language above, athletes are expected to exercise self control before, during, and after competition.

Removing Uniform in Area of Competiton

I've never been quite sure of the motivation on this one.  Celebrating a victory by removing the uniform that has your school's name or logo on it?  That seems selfish, you should always rep your school.  Frustrated after a poor performance, and embarrassed?  You shouldn't be, you're one of the few that has earned the right to wear that uniform.  Emulating professional athletes from track or soccer?  They have different rules than you do.  In any case, you're not allowed to remove any part of your uniform while in the area of competition (which for most facilities includes the track, everywhere inside the track, and all field event areas).  It's one thing to change uniform tops while you're in the stands, but another to rip off your jersey on the infield.  Don't do it!

Blocking or Impeding Other Runners

This can happen in many ways, but is restricted to longer races (800 and up individually, plus the 4x400 and 4x800) since sprinters are always in their own lanes.  One athlete cannot prevent another athlete from proceeding in their normal movement during the race, and impeding another runner can result in disqualification.  Some examples:

• Runner A is in the lead as they come off the final curve, but Runner B begins to pass on the outside.  Instead of maintaining a straight line to the finish, Runner A drifts outward, ending up in the outside of lane 2 in an attempt to prevent the pass.  Runner A is disqualified.

• Runner A is leading during the middle of the race, when Runner B passes on the outside.  Runner B cuts into lane 1 in front of Runner A without having a full stride length of space, causing Runner A to stumble or break stride to avoid contact.  Runner B is disqualified.

Other cases are more obvious: using your arms to block or grab another runner, or tripping them (intentional or not, it means you were too close to their feet).  You can use your arms and body to maintain your own position in a tight pack, but not to gain an advantage or impede another runner.  Of course, there has to be an official present to witness the contact or impedance and make the call, which is why the first example above results in the most disqualifications.

Pacing and Approaching the Track

This rule can affect the behavior of athletes or spectators, and can be divided into two parts:

• Nobody can run alongside another runner for the purpose of pacing or assisting that runner (unless the runner is disabled and requires assistance).  This includes having a teammate in the race that is only there to pace you, or having anyone (teammate, coach, or spectator) run along with you while outside the area of competition (on the infield, outside the track, even outside the fence or off of a cross country course).

• Spectators cannot move toward the track or the runners during a race, even for the purpose of cheering or encouraging.  This includes athletes, coaches, and spectators on the infield, as well as anyone on the outside of the track (if there is no fence around the track).  "Rushing" the track during an exciting finish can distract or even threaten the runners, and fans that get carried away can actually impede the runners (such as by leaning out to cheer a runner that just went past, getting in the way of the next runner).

This is one of the few cases where the actions of someone off the track can cause an athlete on the track to be disqualified.  So think twice, and don't let your desire to support your team get the best of you!

Questions?  Comments?  Funny and informative anecdotes?  Post them in the comment section!