What safety equipment must short track skaters wear?
Officials' detail · Infringements, relays and results · 1 of 1Short track skaters must wear a safety helmet, cut-resistant gloves and neck guard, shin protection, padded knee protection, eyewear and long-sleeved, long-legged clothing. Blades must have closed tubes, ends rounded to at least 10 mm, and be fixed at two points. A skater with broken equipment may not start, and losing a loose item that hinders others brings a penalty.
How it works
- Helmet: to an approved standard, with no protrusions.
- Gloves: cut-resistant; mostly white at ISU events.
- Neck guard: cut-resistant, covering the whole neck.
- Shin and knee: shin guards and padded knee protection.
- Eyewear: required at ISU events and the Olympics.
- Blades: tubes closed, ends rounded to 10 mm, fixed at two points.
- Heat box check: numbers and equipment; a broken blade means DNS.
- Lost item: a penalty if it disadvantages another skater.
The glossary has the skater safety equipment, the padding, the heat box, the penalty, the skate and the track markers.
Tricky cases
A skater's glove falls on the ice and trips another skater. What happens?
The skater who lost it gets a penalty.
Can a skater race with a broken blade?
No. They are not allowed to start, and the result shows DNS.
Why must blade ends be rounded?
To reduce cuts in falls; the rule sets a 10 mm minimum radius.
Who is responsible for the equipment being safe?
The skater alone.
Why the rule exists
Sharp blades and falls into the barrier are the sport's main dangers. The kit list protects skaters from cuts and impacts.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ISU events, Olympics | All items compulsory | ISU 288 (1) |
| International competitions | Items recommended | ISU 288 (1) |
| Olympics | IOC rules also apply | ISU 288 (1)(i) |
From the rule book
ISU, Sports Rules: Short Track (as of 12 June 2026), rules 288 and 294 (1). Checked 14 October 2026. Official documents: the ISU Sports Rules and the season's Guidance.