World Athletics 2011: IAAF to discuss false-start rule
sterling silver jewelry Athletics World Championships 2011
Venue: Daegu, South Korea
Date: 27 August - 4 September
Coverage: Listen live on BBC Radio 5 live, 5 live sports extra and online (UK only), watch daily video highlights on the BBC Sport website (UK only); live text commentary on the finals; watch live on Channel 4
cartilage earrings World athletics' governing body the IAAF meets on Sunday with the power to change the false-start rule that saw Usain Bolt disqualified.
Olympic and defending world 100m champion Bolt was thrown out before the race because of a rule change in 2010.
"If it was seen to be important, the rule could be changed. This would be pending official approval by the congress," said an IAAF spokesman.
"It's possible but I can't speculate on that at this point."
Bolt's anger was clear as he hit the wall at the side of the track following his disqualification.
But many veteran observers agree with the new rule, which brings automatic disqualification for anyone moving before the gun.
promise rings Former world 1500m champion and veteran commentator Steve Cram said: "It's almost unbelievable. Usain Bolt had it all there before him and he false-starts.
"He knows the rules. There's nothing wrong with the false-start rule, people have got used to it and accept it and actually it's there to help people like him.
"Having this rule of no twitching, one and you're out, stops people messing around."
The IAAF spokesman, director of communications Nick Davies, told BBC Sport: "Of course we're very disappointed Usain Bolt false-started but the rules are the rules, they're the same for every athlete and we have to be fair and apply them to every athlete.
"Usain will be back to run again and I think he would be first to admit he did false start and that's the way it goes."
key chains Until 2001, every athlete had the right to one false start before risking disqualification, with the demands of television a major factor in the change.
Under the second version of the rule, athletes had the right to make one false start and they were disqualified for a subsequent false start.
But that brought the risk of what Davies called "a bit of gamesmanship", with slower athletes looking to exploit rivals with the potential to take a false start and put the rest of the field under pressure, hence a further change for 2010.
The World Championships have already seen high-profile false-start disqualifications for British duo Christine Ohuruogu and Dwain Chambers.
silver jewelry Speaking before the 100m final, London 2012 chief Lord Coe, an IAAF vice-president, told BBC Radio 5 Live: ""The rules are the rules. They were changed in 2010 and I think that is right.
"The start of a race is part of the process and it is a skill you have to come to terms with."
Davies accepted that the rule risks a repeat at the London 2012 Olympics.
But he said: "It's not showbusiness. We're not here to make one star performer perform; it's a sport and everyone has to play by the rules."
World 100m silver medallist Walter Dix, who finished behind Jamaican Yohan Blake, said: "That false-start [rule] is killing us. Hopefully it will change by London [2012 Olympics]."
Bronze medallist Kim Collins of Saint Kitts also wants the rule modified. "At least give the field one false-start," Collins said.
