According to reports on the official German Athletics site (DLV) and the unofficial (but sexier) blog kept by German world champ Annette Koop, the Germans are defying some changes approved by World Masters Athletics in the rules of competition. At the August 5 General Assembly, for example, Lahti delegates voted to scrap the 16-meter distance from the start to the first hurdle in the M60 100-meter hurdles and go back to the previous distance, 12 meters, which accommodated a traditional 8-step approach. The German DLV also said nein to changes in some women’s weights. Annette tore DLV a new one. She’s upset that her countrymen will lose shots at records.

Delegates at the General Assembly voted mostly by electronic device, not hands.

Here’s how the DLV reported its stance on WMA rule changes at Lahti:

DLV takes some decisions of the WMA

The General Assembly of the International Association Senior WMA
meeting during the World Cup of seniors in Lahti (Finland), and took
decisions to adapt the devices in some competitive age groups. The
Federal Committee for Older People (BFA) discussed these decisions in
its specialized body, and came to the decision, the following changes
at the national level from 1 May 2010 to incorporate:

W 75: Shot Put kg in weight reduction of 3 kg over 2

W 75: Weight reduction in the discus throw from 1kg to 0.75 kilograms

M 60 + 65: Reduction of the 1 Obstacle distance in 60mH (indoor) from 16m to 12m

Not accepted and initially deferred for 2010 is the weight
reduction in the weight throw W 70 of 5.45 to 4 kilograms and in the
hammer throw W 75 from 3 to 2 pounds. Here, the Committee sees problems
with the practical implementation, since these weights are not
currently available in the clubs and organizers of the acquisition of
German championships will now not be expected. In the DLV tender should
be noted that nationally are still the old weights!

The reduction of the first threshold distance of 100 meters
hurdles (Stadium) in the AK 60 + 65 is not accepted as well. The
current German system (16 m) remains, for practical considerations. In
the stadiums, there are no markers for the construction with 12-meter
hurdle initial and follow-up intervals. In the brochure A – Z for the
senior international championships should be noted that the first
hurdle by far is international reduced from 16 to 12 meters.

On the 47th IAAF Congress in Berlin, it was decided to allow all
long-distance runs on the road, the age rating for men and women until
40 years ago. In the long-distance races in the stadium will continue
to apply the M / W 35-age group standings. The WMA has informed the
national association in a letter dated 10 September 2009 that in the
international senior championships as before, the age-rating from S / M
is 35 and thus the new IAAF rules will not apply.

Here’s what Annette wrote in response (translated by Google) under the headine: Exceptionalism:

Two years ago, was available for the WMA General Assembly in Riccione applications in abundance with which the Competition Rules ( “Rules of Competiton”) to current developments and needs to be adjusted.

At that time, the meeting was premature for lack of time, some say chaotic end, and the applications were not even considered.
But everyone knew that they should now be debated in Lahti. And there they have now been resolved: the initial hurdles in the amendment of 16 m to 12 m, the new weights in the hammer throw and weight of women from 70 or 75

Everyone has known for Riccione So two years ago, its so-what. If the DLV-makers have replaced it? Neither in the time between the two WMA meetings before the meeting in Lahti, we said, for example with a counterproposal. Has some criticism or opposition of the DLV given to applications?

Obviously, only now, more than a month after Lahti and his decisions were those applications in DLV Federal committee discussed seniors. With a strange result: In Germany they do not follow all the rules changed the WMA and goes its own way. How long will this silence. So, why the DLV responding only now?

Why the DLV has not been shown before Lahti initiative and rule changes related to this position?
Now, German senior citizens come to a tension of the associations across a very practical and ask yourself: Why can eg no international records 2010 for the German championships, “the hurdles” or be made in the suspended throwing events for women, although German athletes here are among the best in the world?

Only now in Hamburg for the first time the DLV has expressed that he is not as world’s most powerful and weltbester Seniors Association is in agreement with what has been decided. But why has he not said this at and during the international meetings?

Why the DLV representative in Lahti, where she remained silent for two years but know what’s coming, and to the practical problems they are now led to the exceptionalism – weeks after the child has fallen into the well?

Nobody could surprise the WMA decisions, including anyone in the DLV.
If he had not in Lahti certainly can bring a transitional phase into the conversation, which he now wants his German exceptionalism? But at the General Assembly in Lahti . . . took no DLV representative of the word. Had it not the special path can be avoided, of which no one says (and knows) how long should he be gone?