There have been many changes in the rules of Athletics, for example one of the most recent is the False Start rule which came into effect in 2003. Prior to this each athlete in a race had one false start each; under this new ruling there is only one false start thereby a second athlete making a false start will be disqualified, whether this athlete was responsible for the first false start or not. This ruling was brought about because when each individual had a right to one false start each, this could prolong the start of a race, thus making spectators bored. Nick Davies, the IAAF spokesman said at the time the change came into effect “Supporters of the change argued that races with three or more false starts were a boring spectacle not only in the stadium but particularly for television viewers, many of whom may be tempted to flick channels, never to return,”
Javelin has also seen many changes, although not as recent as the False Start rule. It was initially part of the pentathlon which was introduced in the Olympics in 708 BC and held for the first time in Athens in 1906. In the 1950s there was a new dimension in construction of the Javelin; Dick Held (brother of former record thrower Bud) began to apply basics of aerodynamics to the shaping of the shaft and the head of the Javelin. This change came about because of the great concern of the constant flat landings and dangerous in-flight deviations of the Javelin. This was shown by the athletic fans and the members IAAF.
By 1983 the IAAF technical committee was forced to add a small alteration to the rear part of the Javelin shaft as a result we now see Javelins landing point first rather than the flat landings and in-flight deviations.
The most dramatic changes seen in athletics is that of the drug testing. As athletes are able to make a lot of money through sponsorships the temptation to cheat through drug taking has also increased. The IAAF have in the past concentrated on the drug users in athletics, now they are having to find the scientists who are producing the drugs. Years ago athletes used anabolic steroids to increase their muscle mass and strength. The main anabolic steroid hormone produced by your body is testosterone. Anabolic steroids may help athletes recover from a hard workout more quickly by reducing the amount of muscle damage that occurs during the session.
In the 1970s anabolic steroids was used mainly in sports such as hammer throw and discus, In 1980 Ben Johnson was the most famous athlete to be tested positive for drugs this brought drug testing in athletics to the world’s attention, and questions were being asked as to how many other athletes were taking drugs to enhance their performance. The likes of Flo Jo of the 1984 athletics in Los Angeles, who was at the time the most successful 100m runner. Drug testing was primarily done by testing an athletes urine, and in some cases they may take a blood sample.
During the 1970s and 80s the detection of drugs in athletes was complicated by the fact that there were some countries i.e. Soviet Block and East Germany were known to condone the taking of drugs in athletics. During its first years of existence World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has reached agreements with 34 International Sports Federations governing Olympic summer and winter sports to conduct unannounced, out-of-competition tests.
