Elfnsafety

The inherent dangers of taking part in any athletic event must have been brought to the attention of the HSW authorities (Having silly words?) with the result that the authority has worked on a statement of intent. Although restricted in its circulation,  www.runninginlondon has been permitted a sneak preview of  the recommendations of this august body. The proposal cover the various elements of an athletic meeting from jumping into sand and onto beds, new requirements for distance runners and the drastic reduction of distances in old-fashioned race distances. The concept that everybody starts at the 100m and then drops out for recording purposes after completing their relevant distance of 200m, 400m, 800m, or 1,500m has, however, been rejected at this point in time.

Warning notices are to be posted at long and triple jump pits viz “Sand is a dangerous and highly abrasive medium. It can produce scarring in the nether regions especially when the sand has been illegally dampened down. A minimal team of ten officials is required to make sure that the sand is level to within 0.6cm at all times and that rubber flagstones are installed around the periphery of the pit to a distance of 3m. It must be recognised that sand can only be used in long jump pits until it is replaced on a National basis by the safer small plastics balls usually found in children’s playgrounds.” The triple jump obviously incurs three times the element of danger.

High jump beds will be automatically pneumatically elevated to the height of the bar on each jump so that jumpers will no longer face the sickening thud as they drop backwards over more than 1m but simply relax and spread out. The danger of bouncing off a bed onto the rubber surround is also eliminated.
Field event officials are so obviously at risk that various options are being examined. With the aim of eliminating the need for field event officials to be out on the field the following will be introduced for the season of 2009. Hammers are to be attached to a robust fishing line so that after landing and automatic calibration by sweep-scope radar they will be reeled back to the throwing area. Javelin throws will also be automatically monitored for nose-down landings and then returned electro-mechanically to a device at the side of the throwing segment for automatic return in a tail first position to the throwing area. The discus will incorporate a small motor in the centre. After landing, and automatic measurement, the discus will tip on its rim and then make its way to a dedicated channel system by the side of the arc for return to the throwing cage.

Distance runners over 1,200m will pass through a gate system on the first bend, after the second lap, for physiological testing. Those failing to meet stringent standards will be removed from the event. And, all distances will be reduced to meet expanding HSW requirements. Thus, the 100m becomes 80, 200 changes to 150, 400 to 300, 800 to 600, 1.5k to 1.25k, 3k to 2 k, 5 k to 3.5k and the full marathon to 15 miles.
Further safety requirements will be introduced with regards to relays without dangerous metal batons, shoes without metal or plastic spikes and shoes with 6mm rubber screw-in spikes/pins for cross-country. Water or electrolyte replacement products will be provided for all races of more than 300m. And now the big news. The HSW is shortly to issue guidelines with regards to club travel (carbon footprint calculations)  for all matches more than 5km away from a club headquarters.
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