False Start - I was nearly on radio 5 live

walkingbootweather

Just been listening to Victoria Derbyshire show on Radio 5 Live this morning. There was a discussion about the elimination of athletes for false starting at the World Championships.

I texted in a half-serious / slightly tongue-in-cheek suggestion and was invited onto the radio to discuss it. Being the shy wallflower that I am, I declined the opportunity.

Let me share my suggestion with you guys and you can tell me that I'm bonkers.

The original method was that every athlete was allowed one false start before disqualification, but this might mean multiple false starts before disqualification and risks delaying events and mucking up TV scheduling.

This was changed to one allowed false start after which the next athlete would be disqualified, but this was exploited by some athletes who might deliberately jump the gun to put pressure on competitors.

Now althetes are disqualified on first infringement, but this may result in losing the 'stars' like Bolt, who spectators may have paid lots of money to see race.

My suggestion was not to disqualify these infringements but to handicap the althete by making them start say 1m further back, or maybe even handicap them with weights like a race horse. A weighted belt or a heavy gold chain ought to do it We might even go all "it's a knockout" and make then wear a funny costume or overcome obstacles. :shock: OK I'm getting a bit silly now but wouldn't it be better to see a top athlete strive against such a handicap rather than have an empty lane?

Have any of you been on TV or radio? What for? Surely there must be some talent show contestants that post here.

Kieran_Burns

The only 'fair' solutions are the instant dismissal or everyone gets one chance - anything else won't really work.

Although I do like the idea of making the false starter run backwards...... 8)

Mr Plum

I like the idea of some kind of physical penalty to make the event harder, but there will be issues with the idea of moving the offending athlete's starting position back a meter - the 100m final would become the 101m or the 102m meters... The event is defined by the distance.

Off the top of my head I can't think of a fair solution other than what is currently in place or going back to '2 strikes and out'.

jonny_trousers

Make them run in their pants and vest.

rick_chasey

Have a transparent wall 2cm infront of them.

when it lifts, off they go - like horse racing or MTBing.

If they do go early, they'll go head first into a whole loada perspex.

As long as it lifts quick enough.

joelsim

If it happens in the women's races then they should all have to run the race naked.

It would also cut down the use of illegal steriods too as we'd be able to see if any of them had grown a c*ck.

EKE_38BPM

Put electromagnets in the blocks that only turn off (thus releasing the athlete's spikes) when the starter's gun is fired.

If the athlete jumps the gun, their shoes will still be magnetically stuck to the blocks and they will fall over.
When the starter fires the starting pistol, the electromagnet is turned off an the spikes are released.
If the athlete goes on the 'b' of the bang (TM Linford Christie), they won't fall over and are free to go, which means that if they do jump the gun, they will fall flat on their face and will be embarassed as the whole crowd laugh at them.

joelsim

Good idea

CiB

Replace the starter's gun with a real gun, eg a 12 bore. Aim it directly across the start line in front of the runners and not one of the buggers will be away before the off. Added bonus is that with judicious positioning of the C list celeb who's been wheeled in to murder - sorry, sing the national anthem, two birds one stone comes into play. Result.

Kieran_Burns

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Put electromagnets in the blocks that only turn off (thus releasing the athlete's spikes) when the starter's gun is fired.

If the athlete jumps the gun, their shoes will still be magnetically stuck to the blocks and they will fall over.
When the starter fires the starting pistol, the electromagnet is turned off an the spikes are released.
If the athlete goes on the 'b' of the bang (TM Linford Christie), they won't fall over and are free to go, which means that if they do jump the gun, they will fall flat on their face and will be embarassed as the whole crowd laugh at them.

Except as any competent electrical engineer will tell you, you simpleton, that electromagnets do not just switch off. They store a charge which fades over a finite period of time which would mean that the blocks would hold the athletes after the gun is fired.

Look, if you're not going to take this topic seriously - I really think you should not contribute.


(for the hard of humour - all that was very tongue in cheek)

bails87

I was watching the hurdles yesterday and think it would be much more interesting if you could only finish if all your hurdles were upright. Watching someone get to the end then have to run back to stand the last hurdle back up as the other runners bear down on them would be much more fun.

gaz545

I've been on TV and radio several times, talking about cycling, infrastructure and dangers on the raod.

rick_chasey

gaz545 wrote:

I've been on TV and radio several times, talking about cycling, infrastructure and dangers on the raod.

Hero.

kelsen

bails87 wrote:

I was watching the hurdles yesterday and think it would be much more interesting if you could only finish if all your hurdles were upright. Watching someone get to the end then have to run back to stand the last hurdle back up as the other runners bear down on them would be much more fun.

Even better if they were fixed to the ground so that they don't fall over. The motivation for clearing the hurdles would be so much greater if there's a likelihood of requiring major dental rework if you fail to do so!

bigmat

I reckon they should stick with "two strikes and you're out", but have them accumulate through the qualifying rounds like yellow and red cards in tournament football. Can't believe the biggest star in the sport is booted out ultimately to preserve time for adverts.. :roll:

I've been on radio loads, used to be a comedy sidekick on my mate's radio show. Very little TV work, although I have featured live on twitter and on IG Markets Cycling website. Also a few mentions in Cycling Weekly - I'm almost famous, honest!

Keith1983

I think the fact that the rules of the sport have been fundamentally changed to accomodate TV is a joke. If one gets disqualified they should all do it in protest. What they going to do then?

gilesjuk

Can't see why they can't have starting gates like Skiers use.

notsoblue

gaz545 wrote:

I've been on TV and radio several times, talking about cycling, infrastructure and dangers on the raod.

And what a great job you've done of promoting cycling in London as a safe, enjoyable, healthy activity. Specifically I admire the work you've done to emphasize the image of cyclists as just being normal people going about their business like other road users and who have a right to use roads and don't need to go out of their way to prove that they deserve to be treated like human beings..

Seriously though, I wish the amount of dedication and hard work you obviously put into your youtube videos came across as less self-righteous. You've done some good stuff about the cycle superhighways but your "Silly Cyclist" series leaves a bad taste

Jay dubbleU

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Put electromagnets in the blocks that only turn off (thus releasing the athlete's spikes) when the starter's gun is fired.

If the athlete jumps the gun, their shoes will still be magnetically stuck to the blocks and they will fall over.
When the starter fires the starting pistol, the electromagnet is turned off an the spikes are released.
If the athlete goes on the 'b' of the bang (TM Linford Christie), they won't fall over and are free to go, which means that if they do jump the gun, they will fall flat on their face and will be embarassed as the whole crowd laugh at them.

Wot he said