Aydın Tiryaki (2026)

Introduction: Who Are the Rules For?

In modern athletics, the long jump and triple jump disciplines have evolved into structures that, rather than measuring an athlete’s physical capacity, force them into a narrow technical mold. Years of dedication and labor are often discarded in seconds simply because an athlete cannot “fit” onto a 20-centimeter takeoff board. This situation represents a technical bottleneck where rules, instead of serving the athlete, are used as a weapon against them—embodying an inherently fascist approach to sports regulation.

1. Widening the Bottleneck: The 1-Meter Smart Takeoff Zone

The cornerstone of this proposed reform is to replace the restrictive and punitive 20cm takeoff board with a 1 to 2-meter wide “Smart Takeoff Zone.”

• The System: This zone will be divided into 1cm increments and equipped with high-precision digital sensors.
• Measurement: Regardless of where the athlete steps within this wide zone, the exact point of contact (with 1cm precision) will be recognized as the starting point. The measurement will cover the net distance from that specific point to the mark made in the sandpit.
• Freedom: Instead of technical anxieties like “Will my right or left foot hit the mark?” or “Did I overstep the line?”, the athlete can focus all their energy solely on explosive power and flight distance. This ensures that the rule does not govern the athlete; rather, the athlete incorporates the rule into their performance.

2. Fairness in Multi-Events: Pentathlon and Decathlon

This democratic method should be applied not only in individual competitions but also in multi-events like the Pentathlon and Decathlon, where athletes push the limits of human endurance. In these disciplines, athletes already contend with multiple events; the added stress of losing all points due to a millimetric error in a jump event is an unnecessary burden. Our proposed method will remove this artificial pressure on multi-event athletes and ensure that true athletic talent is reflected in the standings without loss.

3. Democratic and Humane Rules

The democratization of rules does not mean they lose their seriousness; it means making them humane and conscientious. The current system alienates athletes from their own nature by forcing them to become “error-free machines.”

• The Obsolescence of the Red Flag: With this new system, red flags raised for “technical fouls” will become a rare exception. Completing a competition without a single red flag should be seen as a success of the sport and a testament to its democratization.
• Performance-Oriented Approach: An athlete should be eliminated because they failed to jump further, not because they failed to hit a narrow line. Rules should not act as a trap against the athlete but as a foundation that certifies their success.

Conclusion: Liberating Records and the Spirit of Sport

When this reform is implemented, we will witness unprecedented performance increases in the world of athletics. Freed from the anxiety of stride adjustment and fouling, athletes will be able to project their full physical potential onto the field. This system is not about lawlessness; it is about a philosophy where rules do not crush the athlete but, on the contrary, support them.

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A Note on Methods and Tools: All observations, ideas, and solution proposals in this study are the author’s own. AI was utilized as an information source for researching and compiling relevant topics strictly based on the author’s inquiries, requests, and directions; additionally, it provided writing assistance during the drafting process. (The research-based compilation and English writing process of this text were supported by AI as a specialized assistant.)