In response to long jumpers’ complaints that the take-off board causes them to slip, World Athletics said that “extensive research” is being conducted and that they are in contact with manufacturers and other important parties.
Silver medallist at the Asian and Commonwealth Games, Murali Sreeshankar, stated last week that the slippery take-off board, which can injure athletes, is a more urgent problem that World Athletics needs to address.
Sreeshankar was reacting to a World Athletics proposal to use a larger take-off zone rather than a take-off board in order to cut down on long jump fouls.
“Yes, World Athletics began doing extensive research into this issue following feedback from athletes and we are currently discussing our initial findings with take-off board manufacturers and other key stakeholders,” a World Athletics spokesperson responded to an email inquiry regarding jumpers slipping on the take-off board. The investigation is still underway.
Carey McLeod of Jamaica and fellow countryman Jeswin Aldrin lost their footing on the take-off board during the World Championships in Budapest last year, as examples given by Sreeshankar. According to Sreeshankar, Jules Pommery, a Frenchman who finished third at the European Championships, had slipped “three-four times” due to the board and hurt his ankle.
“The take-off board is the problem. Everyone was slipping due to the take-off board’s material. It was implemented following the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, and since then, everyone has been criticizing it. Without a doubt, it’s not wood. Sreeshankar stated, “We wanted the take-off board’s material to be changed.
“The boards are primarily made of wood,” stated World Athletics, without providing any other information.
Sreeshankar went on to explain why a player who fouls out is more likely to sustain an injury.
Sreeshankar described the risky take-off as follows: “If we foul, we slip; if we are not fouling, part of the foot will be on the synthetic surface, so chances of slipping will be less; but if it is entirely on the take-off board we are going to slip.”
The CEO of World Athletics, Jon Ridgeon, stated earlier this month that the idea behind the suggested takeoff zone was to cut down on the amount of time that jumpers waste by overstepping.
Ridgeon stated on the Anything But Footy podcast that “a third of all the jumps at the World Championships in Budapest last summer were no-jumps, athletes stepping over the front of the take-off board.” “That is ineffective and a waste of time. Instead of using a take-off board, for instance, we’re testing a take-off zone, so we measure from the athlete’s takeoff to their pit landing. Thus, each and every jump matters. said Ridgeon.
The reasoning behind this is that since athletes won’t have to get as close to the take-off line (foul line) at the end of the take-off board, they won’t have to worry about getting fouled. At the moment, the closest point of impact in the sand is used to measure the distance jumped from the end of the take-off board.
Former American great Carl Lewis, who won four gold medals at the Olympics, was critical of the take-off zone proposal. That would simply remove the trickiest skill from the competition. Simply put, since so many people miss free throws, enlarge the basket.
Sreeshankar stated that World Athletics would be doubting the ability of long jumpers if they implemented a take-off zone in place of a take-off board. “It will have an impact on the sport’s beauty. It also casts doubt on athletes’ abilities. Since long jumping is a technical event, accuracy on the take-off board is crucial. Sreeshankar stated, “The goal of this intervention is to increase viewer interest in the sport, but it is affecting the sport’s novelty.
World Athletics provided the following statement regarding the suggested take-off zone: “World Athletics is currently running tests with take-off zones across several training groups and in multiple locations. We’ll keep testing all through the outdoor season. Our CEO reiterated that this suggested long jump innovation won’t be formally introduced if testing fails.
