Who judges a race walk, and how?
B · Beginner · The event · 3 of 6A road walk normally has six to nine judges, counting the chief judge. A track walk has six. Each judge acts alone and decides by eye, without video. The chief judge supervises, collects the red cards and tells athletes when they are disqualified, but judges walkers only in the last 100 m.
How it works
- How many: for road races "there should normally be a minimum of six to a maximum of nine Judges including the Chief Judge". For track races, six.
- Each alone: "All the Judges shall act in an individual capacity and their judgements shall be based on observations made by the human eye."
- The chief judge: the supervising official. The chief judge acts as a judge only in the special case of the last 100 m.
- Assistants: at the top competitions two or more chief judge's assistants are appointed. They help to notify disqualifications and do not judge.
- The recorder and the board: an official keeps the record of red cards and another runs the posting board.
- One per federation: at the top competitions no more than one judge, apart from the chief judge, may come from any one member federation.
- Devices: at those competitions the judges send their red cards by hand-held devices to the recorder and the posting board.
- If no chief judge was appointed: the judges elect one.
Tricky cases
Do the judges talk to each other before sending a red card?
No. Each judge acts in an individual capacity.
Can the chief judge give a walker a red card in the middle of the race?
No. The chief judge acts as a judge only in the last 100 m.
Can two judges from the same country disqualify a walker between them?
No, not at the top competitions. The red cards of two judges from the same member federation cannot both count towards a disqualification there.
Do the judges use video?
No. Their judgements are based on what they see with the eye.
Why the rule exists
A walker passes a judge for a few seconds on each lap. Several judges spread round the circuit see the walker at different points and from different angles. Making each one decide alone means a disqualification needs three separate people to have seen a fault, which protects walkers from one judge's error.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| World Athletics rules | As above | TR 54.3; TR 54.4 |
| Track races | Six judges | TR 54.3.5 |
| World records | At least three judges of gold or silver level must have officiated | CR 31 |
| Smaller competitions | Assistants, a recorder and a posting board official are appointed where possible | TR 54.4.3 |
From the rule book
World Athletics, Competition and Technical Rules, 2026 Edition, Technical Rules 54.3, 54.4, 54.7.2 and 54.7.8, and the race walking paragraph of Competition Rule 31. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: World Athletics Competition and Technical Rules 2026 (PDF).