Will America join Germany in thumbing nose at WMA rules?
USATF may go rogue. Just as the Germans balked at accepting the WMA’s new rule on first hurdle run-up distance for the M60 and M65 groups, American rule-makers may say “nein” to WMA discus specs in the upper age groups. These are among proposals to be mulled in a few days by USATF masters delegates at the annual meeting in Indianapolis. A whole slew of rules changes and bylaws tweaks are on the docket. Check out the “documents library” posted for the Indy convention, which takes place December 2-6. Another rule change would declare that masters road running starts at age 40, instead of age 35, as World Masters Athletics has decreed.
About the discus specs proposal:
Submitted by Graeme Shirley on behalf of Jerry Bookin-Weiner, the rule change would amend Rule 189.3 Table as follows: In the 0.75kg column: Outside Diameter max. mm from ((169)) to 182*; Thickness at center max. mm from ((37)) to 39* — securing “US Masters competition exceptions to the WMA specifications for the discus.”
Reason given:
The 0.75kg discus was designed for bantam children and is too small for the hands of masters throwers whose hands do not get smaller as they get older. 0.75kg implements are available in the same size as 1kg implements, so they are already available.
And finally, here’s a proposal that would make it impossible to prevent a masters athlete from transferring from the San Diego-Imperial USATF Association to the Southern California USATF Association (or between most neighboring associations):
1. Residency exceptions: Except as provided in the USATF Competition Rules governing Youth Athletics, USATF shall permit an athlete to be a member of any Association within 100 miles of his or her bona fide residence.
Comment – SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE: Automatically grants requests to transfer to Associations within 100 miles of the athlete’s residence.
Another proposal would take the transfer process out of the hands of local associations entirely. Under this suggestion, transfer requests would go to the national office (which presumably would rubber-stamp them).
C. Transfers: 1. Between Associations: In order to transfer membership from one Association to another, an adult athlete age 19 years and older shall send a request in writing or email to membership@usatf.org.
If either rule passes, San Diego won’t be able to block masters athlete transfers.
3 Responses
The intent of the proposed exception to the .75kg discus specifications is NOT actually to go it alone but rather to bring the proposal to the WMA as a specification change internationally. We also plan to bring a similar proposal to WMA when it meets in Sacramento to allow shots to be the same size as the international (16# for men; 4 kg for women) no matter the weight of the shot. It is possible to do this with existing shot shells and they are available already for a price. The .75kg discus with the same specs as the 1kg is also already available.
So we are not proposing to “snub our noses” at WMA rules but rather to change them
Any chance the M60 hurdle reversion will be considered? Who are our delegates that will be involved in this decision/process?
I like the new M60 hurdle specs. Eight steps to the first hurdle is the way it should be.
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