Who may run in a relay team, and in what order?
I · Intermediate · The event and the start · 2 of 9Any four athletes entered in the competition may form the team for a round. Once the team has started in the competition, up to two more athletes may be brought in as substitutes. The team and its running order must be declared before the first call time. Mixed relays are run in the order man, woman, man, woman.
How it works
- Who may run: "Any four athletes from among those entered for the competition, whether for that or any other event, may be used in the composition of the relay team for any round."
- Substitutes: once a team has started in a competition, "up to a total of two additional athletes may be used as substitutes".
- One leg each: no athlete may run two legs.
- Declaring the team: the composition and the order of running must be officially declared no later than the first call time for the team's heat, in each round.
- Running as declared: "The team shall compete as named and in the declared order."
- Mixed 4 × 100 m and 4 × 400 m: two men and two women. "The running order shall be Man, Woman, Man, Woman."
- The penalty: a team that does not follow these rules is disqualified.
Tricky cases
Can a team use four different runners in the final from those who ran the heat?
No. After the team has started, only two additional athletes may be used in total.
Can a sprinter who is entered only in the 100 m run in the relay?
Yes. Any athlete entered for the competition, in that or any other event, may be used.
A team declares one order and then lines up in another. Does the result stand?
No. The team must compete as named and in the declared order, or it is disqualified.
In a mixed relay, can the two women run the first two legs?
No. The order is fixed as man, woman, man, woman.
Why the rule exists
Substitution lets a team rest its best runners in the heats or cover an injury. Limiting it to two and fixing the order before the race stops teams reshuffling once they have seen their rivals' line-ups.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| World Athletics rules | As above | TR 24.10 to 24.13 |
| An excluded athlete | An athlete excluded from the competition for conduct may not run in the relay | TR 7.3 |
| An athlete who failed to take part | An athlete excluded for not starting or not trying in another event is also out of the relays | TR 4.4 |
From the rule book
World Athletics, Competition and Technical Rules, 2026 Edition, Technical Rules 4.4, 7.3 and 24.10 to 24.13. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: World Athletics Competition and Technical Rules 2026 (PDF).