Penalties, Red Cards, Yellow Cards, and How to Avoid Being Disqualified in your Triathlon or Ironman Race

As the title says this time I want to offer you helpful information to complete your upcoming triathlon or Ironman races without get any penalty or disqualification. All the information I am about to give you was obtained from the Race Competition Rules of Triathlon Australia.

Firstly I would like to give you the definitions of some terms important to understand in race.

Appellant: A competitor submitting an appeal.

Assistance: Any attempt by an unauthorized or unofficial source to help or stabilize a competitor.

Interference: A deliberate block, charge or abrupt motion which impedes another competitor.

Pass: When one competitor's bicycle draft zone overlaps another competitor's bicycle draft zone, makes continual forward progress through that zone and passes within a maximum period specified in Rule 3.11 A competitor cannot pass another competitor on the left hand side in a non- draft legal event.

Penalty box: One or more designated areas on the course where competitors may be required to serve a time penalty for a rule violation.

Rule 3.11: This rule is related to drafting zone.The basic thing to remember is:

Courses <40km the zone is 3m on the sides x 7m on the front and back.
Courses >40km the zone is 3m on the sides x 12m on the front and back.


Speed Suit: A speed suit must be comprised of 100% textile material such as nylon or Lycra and must not be include rubberized material such as polyurethane or neoprene (is not allowed in Australia) The speed suit may contain a zipper.

Stop-Start Penalty: A method of imposing a brief delay on a competitor who is assessed by a race official to have infringed a rule.

Secondly and most important information I give you examples of yellow and red card infringements:


Conduct: Bicycle helmet not securely fastened. Result: yellow card stop/start.
Conduct: Discard equipment. Result: yellow or red card, stop/start or time penalty.
Conduct: Illegal pass. Result: yellow card,time penalty.
Conduct: blocking. Result: yellow card, time penalty.
Conduct: drafting. Result: yellow card, time penalty.
Conduct: deliberately not wearing race numbers provided. Result: yellow card, stop/start.
Conduct: use of gloves or socks in the swim leg. Result: red card.
Conduct: Not completing the entire course. Result: red card.
Conduct: using an MP3 player or mobile phone. Result: red card.
Conduct: failure to obey a Technical Official's instructions. Result: red card.
Conduct: offensive behaviour such as nudity or personal toilet. Result: red card.
Conduct: external assistance. Result: red card.
Conduct: abusive language or violent behaviour. Result: red card.

I hope this information will help you on your race day. All the very best and see you next time :)

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