What is the baton, and what are the rules for carrying it?
B · Beginner · The event and the start · 3 of 7The baton is a smooth hollow tube about 30 cm long that must be carried by hand for the whole race. If it is dropped, the athlete who dropped it must pick it up. The last runner must carry it across the finish line. Gloves and grip substances are banned, and breaking any of these rules disqualifies the team.
How it works
- Carrying it: "A baton shall be used for all Relay Races held in the Stadium and shall be carried by hand throughout the race."
- Size: a smooth hollow tube, circular in section, 0.28 m to 0.30 m long and 40 mm across, give or take 2 mm.
- Weight: not less than 50 g.
- Material: wood, metal or any other rigid material, in one piece.
- Grip: "Athletes are not permitted to wear gloves or to place material ... or substances on their hands or on the baton in order to obtain a better grip".
- Dropped: "If dropped, the baton shall be recovered by the athlete who dropped it."
- Leaving the lane to fetch it: allowed, as long as the athlete does not shorten the distance to be run and no other athlete is impeded.
- The finish: the baton must be carried across the finish line.
- Another team's baton: a team whose athlete takes or picks up another team's baton is disqualified. The other team is not penalised unless it gains an advantage.
- The penalty: for each of these rules, "their team shall be disqualified".
Tricky cases
The baton is dropped during a handover. Who picks it up?
The athlete who dropped it. If it was still in the hand of the incoming runner when it fell, that runner fetches it.
The baton rolls into the next lane. Can the athlete go and get it?
Yes. They may leave their lane to retrieve it if they do not shorten their run and do not impede anyone.
Can the baton be thrown to the next runner?
No. It must be carried by hand throughout and passed from hand to hand.
The last runner drops the baton two metres from the line and crosses without it. Does the team's time count?
No. The baton must be carried across the finish line, and a team that does not follow the rule is disqualified.
Why the rule exists
The baton is the proof that each leg was run and each handover made. Making the athlete who dropped it pick it up stops a team gaining from a fumble, and the grip rule keeps the handover a matter of skill.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| World Athletics rules | As above | TR 24.5; TR 24.6; TR 24.9 |
| Major competitions | Each baton is numbered and a different colour, and may hold a timing transponder | TR 24.5 |
| Medical tape | Tape or a bandage worn for protection or medical reasons is not treated as a grip aid | TR 6.4.3 |
From the rule book
World Athletics, Competition and Technical Rules, 2026 Edition, Technical Rules 24.5, 24.6 and 24.9. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: World Athletics Competition and Technical Rules 2026 (PDF).