CHANGES TO WMA COMPETITION AND TECHNICAL RULES

EFFECTIVE 1 JANUARY 2026

Following the member consultation process set forth in Section 46 of the WMA Constitution and in accordance with the provisions of Article 14 of the WMA Competition and Technical Rules (the “Rules”), changes to the Rules have been proposed by the Competition Committee, submitted to the Members and discussed during a scheduled consultation meeting, and adopted by the WMA Council as recommended. The Rules can be found here WMA Competition and Technical Rules

A brief description of the Rules changes are as follows:

1. Competition Rule 12.2 has been added to specify the fee for protests to be 100€ (or the equivalent in the local currency) and to clarify the time frame for protests (2 hours for all events, except relays held on the final day of competition which will then be reduced to 30 minutes). Because WMA does business in euros, all matters regarding finances should be specified in euros. However, because protest fees are paid in cash during the Championships, it is appropriate to allow protest fees to be paid in the local currency. In addition, especially at Outdoor Championships when venues may be spread out, a sufficient amount of time must be permitted to allow team managers to obtain and file protest forms at the main stadium. Two hours is a reasonable amount of time to allow for most protests. However, on the last day of competition, when a two-hour delay can have significant impact on relay athletes trying to schedule transportation to leave and all relays are held at the main venue, 30 minutes is an acceptable amount of time for protests.                   
2. Technical Rule 4.5 has been added to ensure that all athletes, whether stadia or non-stadia participants must go through the call room at the time listed for their event, otherwise they will be recorded as a DNS, unless the call room referee determines that the failure to appear in the call room on time was due to a justifiable reason outside of the athlete’s control. This is not an exception to a WA rule but was determined to be necessary to ensure consistent enforcement of the call room rule for all events.

3. Technical Rule 20.2.1 has been amended to add language allowing the top two athletes who fail to qualify to the next round eligible for such round in the event a qualifying athlete withdraws and clarifying that lanes would be reseeded in such cases. This is in line with the WA rule to ensure that lanes are full, particularly for finals.
4. Technical Rule 24.1 has been amended to add language requiring official relay forms to be used for relays and to allow up to four reserves (alternates) to be named on each relay form. This amendment is designed to prevent confusion by receiving different types of relays forms that do not meet the requirement of WMA and to align the reserves (alternates) for same gender relays with mixed relays at a maximum of four.

5. Technical Rule 24.11 has been amended to specify that mixed relays may list four reserves (alternates), but such reserves are limited to no more than two (2) males and two (2) females. This amendment is designed to clarify that the number of reserves on mixed relays must align with the gender rules of two of each gender.

6. Technical Rule 54.7.8 has been amended to describe how handheld devices may be by judges to communicate red cards to the recorder and posting boards. This amendment provides another means of communication between racewalk judges and recorders without requiring the use of handheld devices.

7. Guideline language has been added to Technical Rule 58 to specify options regarding the posting of results in non-stadia events where a race needs to be stopped due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Specifically, for a race where a majority of athletes have not completed at least ten percent (10%) of the race distance, the Referee, if the Referee determines it is feasible, shall re-start the race on the same day at a time that would allow the maximum number of competitors to compete and the results of the re-started race shall be reported, but if the Referee determines that a re-start of such race is not feasible, then no results will be reported. For a race where a majority of athletes have completed at least seventy percent (70%) of the race distance, the result would be calculated (from the chip or similarly worn electronic timing device) and reported for all athletes who had covered seventy percent (70%) of the race distance and no result would be reported for athletes who had not covered at least seventy percent (70%) of the race distance. For a race where a majority of the athletes have completed at least ten percent (10%) but less than seventy percent (70%) of the race distance, the race should not be re-started, and no result will be reported. When a race needs to be stopped, the challenge is to devise and adopt a policy that would allow a result to be published or a race to be temporarily halted to be re-started on the same day. This system would give some flexibility to the race referee, but would, in fairness, allow published results and awards when a significant portion of the race has been completed, or such an insignificant amount of the race had been completed that re-running the race is an option.

8. A note was added in Appendix A – Section 6 Javelin to indicate that the specifications regarding the 700g javelin will go into effect on 1 January 2026. Records for the new implement will be recognised from 1/1/26 and records for the old specification will be retained on file but no new records will be recognised.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
9. The references in Appendix A – Section 7 Hammer have been updated references to WA Rules 36.4-36.8 regarding specifications and weights and to indicate the specifications for the 2.000kg hammer.                                                                                                                                                                                                         
10. Appendix A – Section 8 Outdoor Weight now has updated specifications for the outdoor weight.                                                                                                             
11. Appendix A – Section 9 Indoor Weight now has updated specifications for the indoor weight and also has added a note that outdoor weights may only be used when the indoor surface is appropriate. The note was because of outdoor weights have frequently damaged indoor facilities.                                                           
12. Article 14, section 14.2 has been amended to include language that Member submitted changes to the competition rules need only be discussed in the consultation meeting if accepted by the Competition Committee.                                                                                                                                                                              
13. Article 14, section 14.2.1 has been deleted, as it prohibited discussion of rule changes in the General Assembly and the General Assembly has the power to discuss anything it chooses to put on the agenda.