Electronic shoe for walking race to be introduced

Electronic race walking shoes which send a warning signal when a walker has both feet off the ground may be introduced in time for next year's World championships in Edmonton, Canada.

The shoes, devised by Canadian doctor Dennis Furlong, send an automatic signal to the judges when a walker has not maintained continuous contact with the ground. After two warnings for lifting a walker is automatically disqualified.

At the end of a three-day International Amateur Athletic Federation council meeting on Wednesday, IAAF spokesman Giorgio Reineri said the so-called "intelligent shoe" would help end the embarassing number of races in which a number of walkers have been disqualified shortly before the finish line.

"Judging will be objective, not subjective," he said.

Bernardo Segura of Mexico was disqualified for lifting after winning the men's 20-km event at the Sydney Olympics and the women's Olympic 20-km race degenerated into high farce after three runners in front of eventual winner Wang Liping of China were thrown out for lifting.

Asked if the shoe could be used in Edmonton, Reineri replied: "Maybe, yes. But it will first have to be tried in a number of competitions."

The IAAF's race walking committee has also decided that three judges spread along the course, as well as the chief judge, will be able to show a red card to offending athletes. The chief judge will now be based in the stadium.

Reineri said the "intelligent shoe" had been welcomed by IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch in his closing address to the council.

The council also decided on Wednesday to formally recommend abolishing its arbitration panel and hand over all future unresolved disputes to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

At present the IAAF does not recognise the Lausanne-based body and instead sends all disputed cases involving doping or other issues to its own arbitration panel.

Reineri said the council had decided to ask its biennial congress next year to recognise the CAS as the final arbiter. The congress will meet before August's world championships.

The IAAF has been criticised over the panel's decision to clear Jamaican sprinter Merlene Ottey who tested positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone before last year's Seville world championships.

On Tuesday IAAF general secretary Istvan Gyulai said the council had been favourably impressed by a presentation from CAS secretary Matthew Reeb.

"But it's a constitutional rule and we will need a two-thirds majority from the congress to make these changes," he said. "The matter is complicated by the fact that some of the arbitrators are under contract until 2003."

Gyulai said arbitration costs had totalled $600,000 this year and agreed referring cases to the CAS would save the federation money.