BACKGROUND: Bolt first big victim of strict false start rule

Aug 29, 2011, 7:33 GMT

Daegu, South Korea - Usain Bolt is the most famous athlete to be caught by the new strict false start rule in athletics - introduced last year and possible hotly contended again after Sunday's incident at the world championships.

The rule, introduced last year and identical with that used for the long time in American collage sport NCAA, disqualifies the athlete who commits the first false start in a race.

In the past, every athlete was allowed to false start once and was disqualified on a second personal false start. In theory, that allowed eight false starts for a race if as many starters were in the field.

With false starts being used for mind games and delaying races, the ruling body IAAF tightened the rule in 2001, with now not personal but race false starts the criteria.

One false start was allowed and anyone who committed the second was out. Bolt himself was part of it when he false-started in the semis en route to his 200m world title in 2009.

However, calls were being made to tighten the rule furtherand adopt the NCAA regulations which are also used in swimming.

IAAF spokesman Nick Davies on Sunday did not want to rule out a review of the rule after it stopped the sport's most glamorous star, but also said that many athletes train in the US and are very familiar with the NCAA rule.

Winner Yohan Blake said he had 'no problem with the rule,' but bronze medallist Kim Collins named the incident 'a sad night for athletics' because the fans had come to see Bolt win.

Bolt is not the first famous athlete to be disqualified for false starts, not even in Daegu.

Former European champion Dwain Chambers did the same in the 100m semis earlier Sunday and compatriot Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu in the 400m heats Saturday.

Reigning Olympic champion Linford Christie of Britain was disqualified in the final at the 1996 Games and American Jon Drummond was kicked out of the 2003 worlds for an infamous on-track protest after being caught jumping the gun.

German decathlon gold medal hope Juergen Hingsen also famously got his marching orders (under even more lenient rules in this discipline) at the 1984 Olympics.