Section 4: Players & Officials
4.1 Athletes
Athletes must be members in good standing of a national member federation of World Athletics. To be eligible for international competition, an athlete must meet citizenship/representation eligibility requirements under World Athletics Eligibility Rules (Book C). Age group classifications are: Under 18 (U18), Under 20 (U20), Senior, and Masters (35+ for World Masters Athletics competitions).
Athletes in World Athletics Series competitions are required to wear approved competition numbers on both chest and back, as assigned by the competition organiser (Technical Rule 5). Numbers may not be folded, cut, or otherwise altered.
4.2 Competition Officials — Field of Play
Each competition shall be under the technical control of the following officials (Competition Rule 12):
- Technical Delegate(s): Appointed by World Athletics for Series events; oversee technical preparation and compliance (Competition Rule 12).
- Referee: A Chief Referee and separate Referees for Track Events, Field Events, and Combined Events. Referees have authority to make final decisions on all disputes not subject to video review or protest (Competition Rule 12).
- Judges: Appointed for each event, responsible for measurements, take-off board validity, lane compliance, etc (Competition Rule 12).
- Starter and Recallers: Manage the start of all track events. Starters use a starting pistol or electronic equivalent triggering a World Athletics-approved False Start Detection System. A minimum of one Recaller is required at all World Athletics Series events (Competition Rule 12).
- Timekeepers: A Chief Timekeeper and a minimum of three Timekeepers per race. Fully Automatic Timing (FAT) is mandatory at all World Athletics Series events (Technical Rule 19).
- Wind Gauge Operator: Manages the anemometer for events requiring wind measurement (Competition Rule 12).
- Umpires: Positioned around the track to observe rule compliance (lane encroachment, exchange zone compliance, etc.) (Competition Rule 12).
4.3 Jury of Appeal (Competition Rule 12)
A Jury of Appeal shall be appointed for all World Athletics Series competitions, comprising a minimum of three members. The Jury rules on all protests lodged after the Referee's decision. Decisions of the Jury of Appeal are final on all technical matters under these Rules. The composition of the Jury must not include any official whose decision is under appeal (Competition Rule 12).
4.4 Medical and Anti-Doping Officials
A Medical Delegate and medical personnel must be on site for all World Athletics Series events. Anti-Doping Control Officers operate under the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules (separate from Technical Rules). All World Athletics Series athletes are subject to both in-competition and out-of-competition testing under the World Anti-Doping Code and World Athletics regulations.
4.5 Photo Finish and Video Review Officials
A Photo Finish Judge reads finishing positions from FAT equipment. A Video Review Official (VRO) may review incidents at World Athletics Series events using approved video evidence for specified rule violations (Technical Rule 12), including false starts, lane violations, relay exchange zone violations, and throwing/jumping violations.