As a certified USATF official, I NEVER saw any of the umpires raise a yellow flag indicating a foul or anything other than incidental contact. See 127-5 below. This DOQ is TOTAL bull$hit! Appalling.
RULE 127
UMPIRES
1. The Chief Umpire, who is directly responsible to the Referee, shall generally supervise
Umpires. The Chief Umpire shall:
(a) Brief and review with Umpires the appropriate rules of competition and any special
regulations established for the competition by the Games Committee or the Referee;
(b) Place Umpires at locations where they may best perform their duties;
(c) Secure from Umpires complete details, orally and in writing, of any alleged
violations and immediately submit the report of the alleged violation to the Referee;
and
2014 USATF Competition Rules ● 44
(d) Check the number, condition, and height of the hurdles and the placement and
distance between hurdles in the event no Hurdle Inspector or other official has been
appointed to do so.
2. Umpires are assistants to the Referee, to whom the Chief Umpire shall report, and have
no authority to make final decisions.
3. Umpires, among other things, should be assigned to oversee the conduct of hurdle races
and the passing of batons at the exchange zones in relay events.
4. It shall be the duty of an Umpire to:
(a) Stand at such point as the Referee or Chief Umpire may designate;
(b) Watch the competition closely and, in case of a foul or violation of the rules by a
competitor or other person, communicate such breach by either raising a yellow flag or
using other reliable means approved by the Games Committee; and
(c) Report, orally and in writing, to the Chief Umpire what he/she saw of the incident,
even if the competitor or team does not finish the race.
5. When an Umpire observes that a competitor has run in a lane other than the assigned lane
or that a relay baton has been passed outside the exchange zone, it is recommended that
the umpire mark the track with a suitable non-permanent material where the athlete ran
outside the lane or where the baton was passed.
6. In walking events, the assigned Umpires shall perform their duties as in any other event,
but shall not be responsible for technique rules, which are the responsibility of the Judges
of Race Walking.
RULE 128
TIMERS, PHOTO FINISH JUDGES, TRANSPONDER TIMING JUDGES