AMA COMPETITION  & TECHNICAL RULES

(Note:  For ease of use, the AMA Rules of Competition are arranged to correspond to the  WMA Competition Rules  which follows the WA Competition Rules numbering system)

COMPETITION RULES

 

Rule C1   Authorisation to Stage Competitions

1.1      Championships Sanctioning

(a) Asia Masters Athletics (AMA) Championships Stadia.

i. AMA shall sanction Asia Masters Athletics (AMA) Championships Stadia, to be held in each odd numbered year.

ii. Application to stage the championships shall be submitted by an AMA Member, which shall present its candidature together with a city. Written notification from the Member must be in the hands of the AMA Secretary by not later than sixty days (60) prior to the General Assembly at which the bid is to be considered.

iii.The duration for the AMA Championships Stadia is a minimum of five days.

(b) AMA shall sanction such other road and cross-country races as may be approved by the General Assembly,  example: 10Km Cross Country, 20 Km & 10Km Road Race Walk, Marathon & Half Marathon for Men and Women.

(c)AMA shall sanction such other Asia Masters Athletics Championships as may be approved by the General Assembly.

(e) AMA shall encourage its Members to promote regular National Masters Athletics Championships and Open Masters Athletics Championships with participation of all Members.

 

Rule C2   Regulations Governing the Conduct of International Competitions

2.1 Championships Events

Each AMA Championships Stadia shall include a comprehensive schedule of track and field events. This shall include,

Men:100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1,500m, 5,000m,

4x100m Relay, 4x400m Relay, 80m Hurdles, 100m Hurdles,

110m Hurdles, 200m Hurdles, 300m Hurdles, 400m Hurdles,

2,000m Steeplechase, 3,000m Steeplechase, 5,000m walk,

High Jump, Pole Vault, Long Jump, Triple Jump, Shot Put,

Discus Throw, Hammer Throw,  Javelin Throw,

and 10KM Road Race.

 

 

Women:100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1,500m, 5,000m, 80m Hurdles, 100m Hurdles, 200m Hurdles, 300m Hurdles, 400m Hurdles, 2,000m Steeplechase, 5,000m walk, 4x100m Relay, 4x400m Relay, High Jump, Pole Vault, Long Jump, Triple Jump, Shot Put, Discus Throw, Hammer Throw, Javelin Throw,

and 10 KM Road Race.

Any changes to the events shall be approved by the AMA Council/Technical Committee.

 

Rule C3         International Officials

(a)AMA shall define the roles of International Officials with regard to the specific needs of master athletes and AMA Championships.

(b)The AMA council shall appoint a Safety Director who shall appoint one or more Safety Officers with authority to withdraw from competition any athlete who is improperly performing the event whose continued participation in the competition would in the opinion of the Safety Officer endanger the athlete’s health or the progress of the other competitors. The Safety Officer may exercise his authority through deputies and both the Safety Officer  and any deputies shall be clearly identifiable with full accreditation.

 

Rule C12      Jury of Appeal

The AMA President shall appoint the Jury of Appeal from members of the AMA Council with at least one technically qualified member.

 

Rule C37       Drug testing

37.1  Anti-Doping Control

Anti-Doping testing of athletes may be conducted at AMA Championships Stadia.

 

 

TECHNICAL RULES

 

Rule T1  Technical Rules

(a)AMA Championships, National Athletics Championships and Open Masters Athletics Championships shall be conducted in accordance with the technical rules of  World Athletics (WA) except as modified by the WMA / AMA Constitutions, Bye-Laws and/or Rules of Competitions.

The rule changes shall require endorsement by the AMA Council/Technical Committee before introduction into AMA competitions.

(b) Any modification of the technical rules takes effect the following January 1^st unless otherwise specifically stated.

(c).Competitors shall be advised, preferably in the program of the reporting time for each         event. No round or stage of any event shall commence at a time earlier than that shown in the printed program.

(d)The Organizing Committee of each AMA Championships shall send a copy of the official results to the AMA Council and to each AMA Member and to the WMA no later than 30 days after the completion of the championships.

(e) Medal ceremonies

The Competition Director shall appoint individual(s) to co-ordinate the presentation of     medals. The competition events shall always be given precedence over the medal ceremonies. Medal ceremonies shall be held at a conspicuous place in the arena within a reasonable time after the completion of the event.

 

Rule T3         Age Groups

(a)        Competition shall be conducted only in the following age groups denoted as follow:

Age                 Male Age Group        Female Age Group

35-39                 M35                             W35

40-44                 M40                             W40

45-49                 M45                             W45

50-54                 M50                             W50

55-59                 M55                             W55

60-64                 M60                             W60

65-69                 M65                             W65

70-74                 M70                             W70

75-79                 M75                             W75

80-84                 M80                             W80

85-89                 M85                             W85

90-94                 M90                             W90

95-99                 M95                             W95

100+                  M100                           W100

 

(b)Two or more age groups, men and women may compete together provided that there shall be separate results and awards for each age group of men and women.

(c)An athlete’s age group shall be determined by his date of birth. Throughout any Championships, an athlete shall compete in the age group for which he qualifies on the first competition day for those championships and in no other age-group except as allowed by specific team and relay rules.

 

Rule T4         Entries

(a)Entries to all AMA Championships shall be submitted through their national AMA Member.  Entries not submitted through the Members shall not be entertained. If a competitor comes from a country that does not have an AMA Member then that competitor may enter directly. The AMA Council may make an exception to this requirement for a specific AMA Member. The AMA Secretary shall submit a list of all the AMA Members to the organizing committee at least 180 days prior to the start of the Championships.

(b)Closing date for entries shall be 90 days prior to the commencement of the Championships. Grace period for late entries may be given by the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for which an additional fee may be levied.

 

Rule T5   Clothing, Shoes and number Bibs

(a)In AMA Championships all competitors must wear a singlet or vest  that is approved by their national masters body. In the races where team events are contested, it is mandatory for any athlete wishing to be considered for a team to wear a uniform clearly identifying the country that he represents as accepted by the Track Referee.

(b)In all field events only one competition number (bib) shall be required.

 

Rule T13.2    Non Stadia Team Scoring

(a) When team competitions are included in road-races, cross country races and walking races there shall be three team awards on the basis that each Member is entitled to count one team (best three to score) in each five year age division and the result shall be computed on a cumulative time basis.

(b) In road races, cross country races and road walking races every athlete competes individually in his own age group. For team scoring athletes will only be permitted to drop to a lower age group to complete the required number for a team provided that the following requirements are met.

(i)  The lower age group shall be in the same race as that in which the athlete competes individually.

(ii) The athlete’s country does not have a sufficient number of athletes in that age group to make up a full team in that age group.

(iii)  Every team must submit a start list that shows the names and age group of all their athletes competing in a particular age group.

(iv)  An athlete may only score in one team.

(v)  A maximum of two athletes from an older age group may be declared in a team not of their age group.

(vi)  An athlete who joins a team of a lower age group will not lose the right to an individual medal in their own age group as long as all of the above rules are followed.

(vii)  Should it be found that an athlete has entered for the team scoring in a younger age group wherein the Member has already sufficient athletes within the team’s age group to make up a full team, the team will be disqualified.

 

Rule T15       Starting Blocks

(a) Master competitors are not required to use starting blocks or a crouch start or have both hands in contact with the track for  the start of any race.

 

Rule T16       The Start

(a)In any race, athletes who are charged with a false start as determined by the  Starter shall be warned. Athletes who are charged with their second false start in the same race as determined by the Starter, shall be disqualified. The current WA rule regarding false start is consequently not adopted by WMA/AMA.

 

Rule T20.2    Rounds and Heats

(a)In events 1500m and under, heat assignments for the first round shall be based on the seed times submitted on the entry form. The athletes shall be placed in heats using the WA zigzag distribution method. Heat assignments in all subsequent rounds shall be based on place, then time, as per the WMA Advancement Tables in Appendix C.

(b) For this purpose, athletes shall be ranked as follows:

Fastest heat winner

2nd fastest heat winner

3rd fastest heat winner, etc.

Fastest 2nd place

2nd fastest 2nd place

3rd fastest 2nd place, etc. (Concluding with)

Fastest time qualifier

2nd fastest time qualifier

3rd fastest time qualifier, etc.

 

(c)Lane assignment for the first round shall be random. In subsequent rounds, preferred lanes shall be assigned from the performance in the prior round as ranked in rule 20.2 (b).  If the 1st round is a final, preferred lane shall be assigned by seed times.

(d)The Competition Director or Technical Delegate may alter the composition of heats, as well as the number of participants per heat, depending on the number of competitors actually reporting. The first rounds, if required, shall always be run at their scheduled times. Further rounds will then be cancelled as necessary. All finals will be run at their scheduled times.

(d)Events longer than 1500m shall be conducted as seeded finals, with sections based on times supplied by the athlete on the official entry and final placings shall be decided on finishing times.

(e)When preliminary rounds are conducted, athletes of each nation shall be placed in different heats where ever possible.

 

Rule T22       Hurdle Races

(a)The specifications for hurdles are as set out in appendix  hereto.

(b)Competitors must hurdle with a continuous motion thus ensuring that both feet must be off the ground for at least an instant.

 

Rule T23       Steeplechase Races

(a)The specifications for steeplechase shall be as set out in appendix  hereto.

(b)Competitors may hurdle or vault the barriers or step on the top rail in continuous motion but may not climb them. The hands or the feet may touch only the top surface of the barrier and no other part of the body may touch any part of the barrier.

 

Rule T24       Relay Races

(a)        In AMA Championships relay races 4x100 and 4x400 meters shall be conducted in five year age groups between teams entered by Members in writing by Team Managers. Each Member may enter only one team in each relay.

(b)In AMA Championships in each relay race an athlete may compete for a team in only one age group which may be a lower age group than that of the athlete.

 

Rule T25       Field Events – General Conditions

(a)When a field event competition includes competitors in different age groups such groups must be considered separate competitions for the purpose of deciding which competitors shall be allowed to advance. There may thus be more than the usual maximum of competitors allowed additional trials.

 

Rule T26       Vertical Jumps – General Conditions

(a)When a high jump and pole vault competition includes competitors in different age groups jumping and vaulting in the same competition pool and there is only one competitor left in an age group, that competitor shall have the right to have the height of the bar raised in terms of applicable WA Rules even though other competitors in other age groups may still be jumping/vaulting. Said competitors must continue in the normal progression and may not jump at these special heights.

 

Rule T27       High Jump

(a) Both feet must be off the ground during the jump.

(b) Competitors are allowed to touch the landing area before clearing the bar but may not use the landing area to any advantage as determined by the Field Judge.

Rule T29       Horizontal Jumps

(a) Plasticine is not required.

(b) The take-off board(s) may be a white taped or painted line and shall measure 0.20m in width.

 

Rule T30       Long Jump

(a) One or two take-off lines may be used, one of which shall be 1m from the nearer end of the landing area.

 

Rule T31       Triple Jump

(a) Two or more take-off lines may be used. The distance from the nearer end of the landing area shall be appropriate for the age and sex of the athletes in the flight. When more than one take-off line is used, each take-off line shall be placed in full meters apart from the take-off line closest to the nearer end of the landing area.

 

Rule T32       Throwing Events – General Conditions

(a)Competitors may use their own implements, provided these implements conform with the rules and made available to all competitors. Personal implements shall only be issued to the competition of the owners.

(b)The specifications for the throwing implements shall be as set out in the appendix  hereto.

 

Rule T36       Hammer Throw

(a)  In making a throw, the competitor may choose any starting position, holding the hammer exclusively by the handle, and using both hands except at the start of the throw and the moment of release.

 

 GENERAL

1.         AMA RECORDS

Records established at AMA Championships shall automatically be recognized as AMA Championships Records. However all details of new records shall be forwarded to the AMA Secretary by the LOC at the end of the championships.

AMA Records established at other open or National Championships shall be supported by all necessary details and applied in the prescribed form and forwarded to the AMA Secretary. The AMA Secretary shall table same at the following council meeting with his observations for ratification.

2.         TECHNICAL HANDBOOK

For AMA Championships a Technical Hand book shall be prepared by the LOC in consultation with the Technical Delegate appointed by the AMA Council.

The Technical Hand Book shall be sent to all affiliates 180 days prior to the start of the championships.

3.        TECHNICAL OFFICIALS

For all AMA Championships,

(a)        AMA Technical Delegate shall be appointed by the AMA President.

(b)        Officials of the meeting shall be appointed by the LOC.

(c)       Two International Race Walking judges shall be appointed by the LOC in consultation with the AMA Council/Technical Delegate.

(d)        Up to a maximum of 5 AMA qualified Technical Officials may be appointed by the LOC in consultation with the AMA Council / Technical Delegate.

(e)        All officials of the meeting shall be briefed on their duties and responsibilities before the commencement of the Championships for which the Technical Delegate appointed by AMA may be invited.

4.           SITE INSPECTIONS AND BRIEFINGS

AMA President will appoint the Venue Inspection Team consists of at least three (3) members from AMA Council. The Venue Inspection Team shall visit the sites and facilities at least nine (9) months before the AMA Championships and shall report to the AMA Council the progress the LOC had made in the preparation for the Championships including the availability of suitable tracks, throwing and jumping area, warm up facilities and equipment. They shall also look into the arrangements made for the accommodation and transport of the AMA Council members, Technical Officials and athletes.

The cost of travel and accommodation of the inspection team shall be borne by the LOC.