In a recent sanctioned (Canadaian) road race, about 25 lead runners went off course due to an un-marked turn.
This was a point-to-point leg starting a sanctioned relay race.
Marshals arrived late at the turn and directed subsequent runners. The running occured very early in the morning during dark rain.
Eventually a course marshall drove up and notified most of those off course of the mistake. At least some bib numbers were noted. By this time, the furthest runners were about 2 miles off course.
Some runners shortcut their way back to the race course and finished. Their total distance run was greater than prescribed distance so they did not gain an advantage. However, they did not cover the entire prescribed course.
Other runners ran back to the point of departure and rejoined the race. They covered an even greater overall distance and ran the entire prescribed course (as well as an offcourse out-and-back).
Other runner(s) went back to the start and were driven to the finish.
So far, no runner or team has been disqualified or had their time adjusted.
Common rules for Cross-Country and many specific events state that no disqualification results if the runner returns to the point of departure and completes the event from there.
USATF and IAAF mention that no disqualification results if the runner had permission to go off course and did not "shorten the distance".
It's not specifically spelled out if the entire prescribed course needs to be run? One would think so.
Also, is permission actually needed? If one runs off course accidentally or is directed off course in a road race, is that grounds for disqualifcation even if the runner returns to the point of departure? That would seem a grey area... just what distance constitutes off course?
I have scanned various IAAF, USATF, Athletics Canada etc. rulebooks and do not seem to find a section which perfectly describes how to adjudicate appeals for disqualification.
Can I get opinions... or better yet, examples of how similar precedents were handled?
There are a huge number of major road races where similar things have happened.
Wasn't there a recent event where the woman winning a major race was disqualified for running out of a portapotty when the gun sounded?
She started late and covered a greater distance, but owing to the tangent followed from the portapotty, she missed the first few feet of the race course. If memory serves, she was DQ'd for not following the 'entire prescribed course'?