WES FERGUSON DQd in 800

This rule needs to be adjusted. It would not have changed the results.

Yes it is disproportionate to this particular infraction of the rule but it can't be a sliding scale of interpretation vs punishment. I agree this is about as minor an infraction as possible - it's maybe 3-4 steps on the line which really gives zero benefit to him, but what's the level of infraction that counts as a DQ? One step 1 inch into the inside lane? One step 4 inches? - Pretty obvious that's not a massive advantage either. Is it number of steps? Like you get my point here - we can't be opening up this can of worms where it's like "well we have 1 inch 4 steps that's okay I guess but 4 inches 2 steps that's a definite advantage" - it's why it has to be one interpretation.

Now the DQ for stepping inside the track when everyone is bunched together is a different story because no athlete deliberately wants to f--k with the rail and almost always it's an issue of safety when it happens (like not bringing down half a field holding a line that sometimes isn't there) - but when it's the first 100m and you have full control and no excuses it just has to be this way no matter how harsh it is in this case.

not saying I support the punishment, but I thought this was fairly obvious watching on tv and by no means hunting for guys stepping out of lanes

Doesn't common sense or the "spirit of the rule" have a say? Reminds me of Devon Allen being disqualified for a 1/1000th of a second infraction. Stepping on the line in an 800 had nothing to do with the outcome of the race. Disqualifying the guy makes about as much sense as putting new shoes on a dead horse. What's the point.

I agree that stepping on the line had nothing to do with the outcome of the race - I could not have been more clear about that, and I feel awful for Ferguson.

But let me ask you a question - at what point would it have had an outcome of the race? Like serious question, what do you think would be the cross-over point where it did become an advantage worthy of a DQ?

Did he step on the line? YES. If he had not, would it have changed the semi-final result, NO. He gained at most 3 feet (pi*dr, dr < 1 foot)) and actually less than that. He was more than that ahead at the finish. It should be at the discretion of senior USATF officials to be pragmatic in situations like this.

And the D2 Champ took down the D1 Champ!!! How are the brojos not more upset about this?! This is straight up idiotic. Demolished the field and then a DQ for the first 10m.

Crazy how no one is comparing this to the Sam Ellis deal. Seems to be disproportionate hate. Everyone was very mad at Sam doing the exact same thing but no one is using the same logic here. What is up with this forum?

no sport tosses a player for a small foul . zero. you can move the guy back a place. hickey basketball foitball tennis you would not finish any game. with track refs. one more reason track has the fewest fans

Rules are rules, and it's not hard to avoid infracting the inner line, unless you're trying to crowd the line of running 20-30cm outside it.

But I never heard of this cat, so free West Ferguson the underdog. Maybe there's rules where they can DQ everyone else too so he still wins.

That's were common sense and discretion comes into play. He barely touched the line; he probably gained a foot, at best, If he had run on the line for several steps, or several inches into the other lane, I get it. This was a minor infraction that had nothing to do with his placing or the outcome of the race.

Is it any wonder?

His father and coach, Turd Ferguson, taught him to do just that!

I understand what you're saying BUT isn't the rule there to make sure everyone is equal? Case and point: the runner in lane 1 is unable to step on the line due to there being a rail. So if the other runners can step on the line, even once, it's a clear advantage (even if small) over at least 1 runner. DQ. Sucks but it's a DQ

USATF shooting itself in the foot for the 537891235987th time:

Ferguson enters heat. No mention of him being D2 champ. OK.

Ferguson wins heat. No mention of him being D2 champ, just having beat the D1 champ. Stupid, but OK.

Ferguson DQ'ed from heat for pointless infraction that no one but track nerds recognize. Just plain stupid.

Interesting storyline for the final (D2 champ vs. D1 champ for US team), something casual fans might have some interest in, destroyed. Beyond stupid.

World prospects for an up and coming athlete destroyed, for something meaningless that most athletes get away with anyway. Unacceptable.

If athing mu or SMF step in the line do they get DQ’d? Likely not

petty rule. Feel for WF.

Hmmm, found this on the USATF website, in the meet preview.

800M
2023 U.S. leading performance – 1:44.26, Will Sumner
2022 World Championships team members entered – Bryce Hoppel, Brandon Miller
Georgia freshman Will Sumner was a revelation this year, capping off his first collegiate season with a marvelous 1:44.26 to win the NCAA title. He has a serious finishing kick, which may come in handy against 2022 World Indoor Championships bronze medalist Bryce Hoppel and 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Clayton Murphy. Hoppel was fourth at the 2019 world meet and has a best of 1:43.23 from 2020, while Murphy's PB of 1:42.93 is the fastest in the field and earned him that Rio bronze. He is the No. 4 all-time U.S. performer, and Hoppel is No. 7. Tokyo Olympian Isaiah Jewett clocks in at 1:43.85 on the PB chart and is seeking a return to his 2021 form, and last year's USATF third-place finisher Brandon Miller is another career sub-1:45 man. Nebraska-Kearney's Wes Ferguson ran away with the NCAA Division II title and his 1:45.46 PB elevated him to contender status overnight. In the best shape of his life after dropping a 1:45.20 PB in May, Kameron Jones is another relative newcomer worth watching.

They wouldn’t have dq’d Sumner or Jewett over something like this.

The rule is to prevent an undue advantage and to keep the outside runner from impeding the inner lane runner. He did not. There was not an undue advantage and I didn't see any impeding. Does the Supreme Court always rule hard and fast on the existing laws and precedent? I am not currently a USATF member, but mainy of the readers of this site are. USATF members what do you say: should not Ferguson be in the final? : even put him in lane one if necessary. Maybe he had one great semi-final and will bomb the final, but he still deserves to be in the final.

What if Ferguson instead barely edged out another athlete from qualifying by an inch at the line after running a foot less distance near the start? The rule must be enforced 100% or people running in lanes will begin to straddle the line to obtain an advantage, however slight. He had total control of his positioning at the point of the infraction as others have pointed out.