What happens if a bow breaks during a competition?
A · Advanced · Shooting, timing and team matches · 2 of 5At world ranking and international events there is no extra time. An archer whose equipment fails, or who needs medical attention, may leave the line to deal with it and come back to shoot any remaining arrows if the clock allows. At smaller events a judge may allow up to about 15 minutes in qualification.
How it works
Other events, qualification round only:
- A judge must verify the equipment failure, or medical staff the medical issue.
- Extra time may be given to repair or replace the equipment, or for medical staff to decide whether the archer can carry on unassisted.
- The limit is about 15 minutes, which means two ends of six arrows or three ends of three.
- The missed arrows are made up at the earliest chance, with a judge watching.
World ranking and international events:
- No extra time for equipment failure or medical treatment.
- The archer may leave the line and return to shoot remaining arrows within the time limit.
- In a team match the other team members may shoot in the meantime.
On the finals field an archer may have two complete bows.
Tricky cases
A string snapped in an Olympic-level match. Does the archer get time to fix it?
No. There is no extra time; the archer may switch to a second bow and shoot what the clock allows.
Can an archer make up arrows missed through cramp?
It depends on the event. At other than international events, medical staff may verify a medical issue and arrows may be made up in qualification.
Why the rule exists
At the top level the schedule and the opponent cannot wait, so archers are expected to carry a spare bow. Lower down, a broken string should not end someone's day.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| World Archery rules | As above | B3 11.4.1; B3 9.8 |
From the rule book
World Archery Rulebook, Book 3, Articles 9.8 and 11.4.1. Version of 27 January 2026. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: World Archery Rulebook (PDF).