Miltiadis Tentoglou blasts World Athletics and says athletes are not respected

I hate the change to a zone jump as well. You could say that they do that in the high jump, but certainly not in any other field event. It takes the skill out of it. In the lj at world indoor, the Italian in second would probably have won on that standard, as he had a jump estimated at 8.60 but according to the article a huge 14 cm past the line! That would still have been 8.46 and Tentoglou won with 8.22. You would actually get some really big jumps and speed would be even more of an advantage because you could go as fast as you want with no chopping strides and slowing down to the zone, but they wouldn't mean much, destroying all historical comparison in the sport. Or maybe they should've measured Lewis's apparent 30 footer in 1983 at the National Champs when he was judged to have fouled. That would probably be the all-time best under the new standard. Ultimately, there needs to be support for long jumpers if they want the sport to get back to the level it was in the era of Lewis and Powell.

Removing the board I think would make it even more visually confusing for the audience.

Also, I think having a takeoff point makes more sense, just like having a bar in the high jump makes more sense. In reality you jump over things or across things, if you’re jumping from ledge to ledge you’d better not foul

Ex International Long Jumper here. I understand the logic of the board change. How many monster foul jumps have occurred that we would at least love to see measured? Even if not counted. At low levels, they'll do this. At high levels, it gets raked right over.

A takeoff zone doesn't remove the skill of long jump. It's the same flawed argument that steroids can turn a fat 40yr old accountant into a world champion sprinter. A takeoff zone doesn't make an 8m long jumper either.

The biggest thing that will make all field events more watchable is getting back to strict top 8 finals. Get rid of this top 12, which gets cut to top 8 after 3 attempts. Stick to top 8, 6 attempts. Or at worst, top 10, trimmed to 8.

Vertical jumps need way more changes than LJ. HJ and PV are unwatchable. They go on for hours. Some of these guys take 10+ attempts. Imagine a LJ got 10 attempts.

I find it hard to believe you were a top long jumper. By international I assume you mean you are a 18 foot long jumper that lives internationally.

Monster jumps on fouls are FOULS and thus shouldn't be measured. By definition they give the athlete an unfair advantage.

This sport has survived thousands of years, it's beauty is it's simplicity.

xD

The board is 20cm. Extend it to 30cm with the zone measurement idea. End of issue. There will rarely be fouls. This is not difficult.
And no… it does not favor ‘speed jumpers’. Has anybody noticed how fast MT is running? He’s not slow at all.

Tent-of-glue

Why though? What's wrong with it the way it is? Fouls are part of the sport, just like dropped passes and missed shots in other sports.

Do we give NBA players credit for ALMOST hitting a shot? Are we discussing making the golf hole bigger?

Why does World Athletics suddenly want to make long jump the ONLY sport in the world where accuracy and precision does not matter?

Wait and see how quickly some of these jumpers will change their minds when more of their jumps will count. I have spoken to several world championship and Olympic medalist and they support it. Plus, this does not take away the skill element, it just increases the number of valid jumps.

I'm excited by the change and how much longer the jumps will be. I don't worry too much about the history of the event.

I'm also an international long jumper, I once hopped over a passed out dude on cinco de mayo in tijuana. I don't like the change.

yeah I take for granted the era of 80s/90s long-jump with Lewis, Powell and Larry Myricks--sure a lot of speed guys do the 100m instead for the cash but there were a lot of really good jumpers that had skill...kind of a desperate move here..

WA CEO says that the 1/3 of no jumps in Budapest LJ has to end. At first glance one thinks he may have a point . But then, what's the ratio in HJ and PV? Similar I'd think. Also, even if far higher % of long jumps were valid, it wouldn't be a huge game changer to casual viewers who would quickly spot that most of the jumps were of no impact on leading positions. With the one false start rule as the exception,WA seems to have v poor record in its technical innovations to supposedly make things more exciting. My view is that T and F is perfectly fascinating as is and expert commentary can make it come alive even more. Unfortunately I'm far too old and clued up for what WA is seeking to sell to a new young audience.

Nothing like a blunt European to properly express not giving a fcuk.

He's right, and good for him sticking his neck out to be the bad guy in the eyes of the sport officials.

He's right that what they are proposing is a completely different event. it is no longer long jump. that doesn't mean they cant/shouldn't try it, but they can't pretend it's long jump.

Sometimes Steph Curry shoots 1-10 from 3 point line. That's sports.

Fans don't care how many fouls. They still get to see the athlete run and jump. If anything it builds suspense.

Today when Mondo has 2 fouls at a low height, it brought drama because he had to come from behind. The entire track fan base was on edge his 3rd attempt at 5.85.

While people want to see Mike Tyson knock heads off, those fans who saw Buster Douglas defeat Tyson ended up watching perhaps the biggest upset in sports history - and that's even more special and memorable.

Those of us that are or have been vertical jumpers in our lives would tell those bored with watching us to stop. Go fly a kite.

Track will NEVER, EVER, be a spectator sport in the U.S. because it takes INTELLIGENCE to watch and appreciate it. Quit trying to dumb down the sport. Rather not have the sport at all than appeal to the knuckle-dragging Neanderthals.

Oh really? What are their names?