There is nothing more challenging for an official than having to DQ a swimmer for a false start: either a dual confirmation done after the heat has been started or for the lone swimmer who goes in all by themselves.
It is a shame that starting early and only gaining, at most, .5 seconds results in the entire race being nullified. I would hate to be the 400 IMer or the 1650 swimmer if that were to happen.
So, instead of nullifying the entire swim, consider a time penalty assessed for a False Start. In either situation that I mentioned in the first paragraph, the swimmer incurs a 5 seconds penalty when the False Start is dual confirmed. The swimmer gets the benefit of the race, albeit with a time penalty.
This could be managed quite easier with a software change in Meet Manager or whatever meet software is being used.
Paul
There is another thread “Times invalidated because of pool measurement” where I think the time penalty would be a just solution. Let’s say a 25 yard pool is less than 2 inches short (about 0.2%) or a bulkhead was improperly measured, I believe 1% time penalty applied to all times would be much more fair than invalidating all times.
The same could hold true for times invalidated because of failure to properly “Determination of Official Time”. If there was a good time that failed to be properly determined then let the swim count and apply the 1% penalty.
Today for both of these situations the times don’t count, similar to a DQ. And in both of these situations the swimmer is not at fault.
There is another thread “Times invalidated because of pool measurement” where I think the time penalty would be a just solution. Let’s say a 25 yard pool is less than 2 inches short (about 0.2%) or a bulkhead was improperly measured, I believe 1% time penalty applied to all times would be much more fair than invalidating all times.
The same could hold true for times invalidated because of failure to properly “Determination of Official Time”. If there was a good time that failed to be properly determined then let the swim count and apply the 1% penalty.
Today for both of these situations the times don’t count, similar to a DQ. And in both of these situations the swimmer is not at fault.
