There are 4 official roles to be filled for this event:
- Recording (Key Official)
- Arc
- Spiking
- Retrieving
If necessary some of these spokes can be combined, however the event runs much more smoothly and faster if there are 4 officials.
The Recorder writes down the distance thrown by each athlete. They are also responsible for letting each athlete know when it is their turn to throw.
The Arc official is responsible for ensuring the athlete does not stop on or over the line. Doing so will result in a foul. They are also responsible for ensuring the throw is legal. The throw must occur above the shoulder, rather than with a slinging action.
Once the landing point has been spiked, the Arc official pulls the tape taut to the mark in the middle of the runway. The distance is measured on the inside edge of the arced line. Distances are measured to the closest centimetre rounding down.
The Spiking official must first determine if the throw was legal. For the throw to be legal, it must land on its point first. The javelin does not need to stick into the ground. The official must place the spike where the point landed closest to the arc. Throws that do not land tip first are fouls. If the implement lands on our outside the sector lines, it is a foul.
The Retrieving official is responsible for recovering the javelin. They should take care when removing the javelin from the ground. The best method is to place one hand on the end and the other on the grip, then pull out in the same direction as it landed. Do not lever or bend the javelin out of the ground.
The javelin should be walked back to the predetermined storage area near the runner. Never throw the javelin back.
