Beer bet.
Does anyone have a link to the FINA rule that explains how automated equipment is used to judge relay take offs?
The FINA rules I've been able to find on-line first point you to section SW 13.1, which then points you to FR 4. But FR 4 doesn't address it.
I need the link to the explict FINA paragraph to win my beer.
I already have the undocumented statement from the Washington Post April 1, 2007.
"Officials ruled Crocker left 0.01 of a second earlier than the allowable start time. Crocker got off the blocks with a reaction time of -0.04 of a second. The most allowed is -0.03."
Thanks
Good question. I can't find an explicit rule in the FINA rules and I doubt there is one. Here's the obvious rule about relay starts:
SW 10.11 In relay events, the team of a swimmer whose feet lose touch with the starting platform before the preceding team-mate touches the wall shall be disqualified.
I'm wondering if they use a tolerance value stated by the timing manufacturer to set the allowable negative reaction time. So, in Crocker's case maybe Omega published that the reaction times for this system were accurate to +/- 0.03 seconds, thus Crocker's -0.04 was an automatic DQ.
Good question. I can't find an explicit rule in the FINA rules and I doubt there is one. Here's the obvious rule about relay starts:
SW 10.11 In relay events, the team of a swimmer whose feet lose touch with the starting platform before the preceding team-mate touches the wall shall be disqualified.
I'm wondering if they use a tolerance value stated by the timing manufacturer to set the allowable negative reaction time. So, in Crocker's case maybe Omega published that the reaction times for this system were accurate to +/- 0.03 seconds, thus Crocker's -0.04 was an automatic DQ.
