What is a foul at the board?
B · Beginner · The jump · 2 of 3The take-off line is the edge of the board nearer the sand. A jump fails if any front part of the take-off foot breaks the vertical plane of that line before the foot leaves the ground. Taking off short of the board is allowed, and the jump is still measured from the line.
How it works
- The board: a white take-off board 1.22 m long and 0.20 m wide, sunk level with the runway.
- The line: "The edge of the board which is nearer to the landing area shall be the take-off line."
- The foul: an athlete fails if "while taking off (at any time prior to the instant at which they cease contact with the take-off board or ground), [they] break the vertical plane of the take-off line with any front part of their take-off foot / shoe".
- Running through: the same applies "whether running up without jumping or in the act of jumping".
- How it is judged: at the top competitions, video at 120 frames a second is used. Where no technology is available, a strip of plasticine beyond the line may still be used to show a mark.
- A loose lace: it is not a failure if the plane is broken by a loose part of the shoe, such as a shoelace.
- Off the side: an athlete fails if they take off from outside either end of the board.
- Short of the board: taking off before reaching the board is not a failure.
- Outside the runway lines: running outside the white lines of the runway is not a failure.
- No somersaults: an athlete fails if they "employ any form of somersaulting whilst running up or in the act of jumping".
A failure of this kind is what most people mean by a foul.
Tricky cases
The toe of the shoe is past the line but has not touched the ground beyond it. Is it a foul?
Yes. The test is whether the front of the take-off foot breaks the vertical plane of the line while the foot is still in contact with the board or the ground.
An athlete takes off 20 cm before the board. Is the jump valid?
Yes. It is measured from the take-off line, so those 20 cm are lost.
An athlete runs through the board without jumping and their foot passes the line. Does that count as a trial?
Yes. It is a failure, whether they were running up without jumping or in the act of jumping.
A cap falls off and lands beyond the line at take-off. Is that a foul?
No. The commentary says the rule looks only at the front of the take-off foot or shoe.
Why the rule exists
The line is the point from which every jump is measured, so a foot beyond it would be stealing distance. The 2026 wording judges the position of the foot in the air above the line, as a camera sees it. It no longer depends on whether a shoe happened to mark the plasticine.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| World Athletics rules | As above | TR 29.3 to 29.5; TR 30.1; TR 30.3 |
| Competitions without video | A plasticine indicator board may be used | TR 29.5 |
| Other competitions | Video is "strongly recommended" and not required | TR 29.5 |
From the rule book
World Athletics, Competition and Technical Rules, 2026 Edition, Technical Rules 29.3 to 29.5, 30.1 and 30.3 with the commentary printed under rule 30. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: World Athletics Competition and Technical Rules 2026 (PDF).