Aydın Tiryaki (2026)

Modern athletics, especially with the recent advancements in timing technology, has drifted away from its humane essence and transformed into a mechanical “error-catching” game. As witnessed during the Paris 2024 Olympics, years of an athlete’s hard work can be erased in a single second due to millisecond-level “reaction deviations” or mere inches of “zone violations.” This article discusses how these authoritarian and exclusionary rules in track events can be transformed into a more democratic, humane, and performance-oriented structure.

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SECTION 1: “NET TIME” AND THE HUMANE BUFFER ZONE IN INDIVIDUAL RACES

The current 0.100-second reaction limit acts like an executioner’s blade hanging over the athlete. Regardless of an athlete’s physical speed, they are disqualified the moment they fall into this “mechanical bottleneck.” Our proposed model eliminates this injustice as follows:

• Rejection of the Disqualification Concept: An athlete should not be cast off the track simply for reacting slightly before or after the starter pistol. The true value of athletics lies in the completion of the race and the display of effort.
• Net Time Calculation: The stopwatch should not start with the pistol, but independently for each lane the moment the athlete reduces pressure on the starting block (initiates movement). The scoreboard should reflect the “pure performance time” from the moment of departure to the finish line.
• Reasonable Duration and Buffer Zones: Different “reasonable start windows” should be determined for each discipline (100m, 400m, etc.) by scientists and psychologists. Deviations within these windows are accepted as natural human variance.
• Graded Penalties instead of Execution: If an athlete starts far beyond these “reasonable” limits, it should not result in disqualification. Instead, a “disadvantage second” or “penalty point” determined by experts is added to their Net Score. Thus, no one leaves the track in tears; everyone competes, everyone finishes.

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SECTION 2: DIGITAL CONTACT AND ZONE OPTIMIZATION IN RELAY RACES

Relay races, in their current form, have become a “high-tension object-carrying” game rather than a test of collective speed. A dropped baton or a violation of the exchange zone by mere centimeters currently nullifies the combined effort of four athletes.

• Digital Sensors Instead of Batons: The baton may remain as a symbolic tradition, but the actual “transfer” is recorded via sensors placed on the athletes’ hands or uniforms (a digital handshake).
• Shortening and Optimizing Zones: Since the mechanical necessity of handing over a physical stick is removed, the massive 30-meter exchange zones are no longer necessary. Sensor technology allows these zones to be shortened to optimum distances, ensuring a more disciplined and focused race.
• Converting Violations into Net Scores: If an exchange occurs outside the optimized zone, the system detects it instantly. The team is not disqualified; instead, a “penalty second” is added to the total time to neutralize any potential speed advantage gained from the error. The priority remains the completion of the course by all four runners.

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SECTION 3: OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY, MULTI-EVENTS, AND SOCIAL IMPACT

Democratizing the rules is not just a technical change; it is an organizational and psychological revolution.

• Program Discipline and Broadcast Flow: One of the greatest advantages of this system is that races will never need to be restarted due to false starts. Currently, repeated starts disrupt television broadcast schedules and cool down the stadium atmosphere. In our model, no race (barring extraordinary circumstances) requires a restart; the program proceeds with millimetric precision.
• Vital Importance for Multi-Events (Decathlon & Pentathlon): In grueling events like the Decathlon, a single disqualification in one running leg destroys two days of labor and the athlete’s entire point tally. When the “Net Time” system is applied, even if an athlete makes a starting error, they continue to earn points; their labor is not swallowed by the system.
• Prevention of Trauma and Psychological Health: Athletes compete with the motivation to “reach my best speed” rather than the paralyzing fear that “one mistake will end my career.” This shifts the stress of competition into a constructive channel.
• Authentic Competition and Spectator Enjoyment: Instead of watching a favorite athlete get expelled before the race even begins, the audience witnesses a full competition where everyone reaches the finish line. The “Net Time” system transparently shows everyone’s performance, preserving the spirit of shoulder-to-shoulder struggle.

CONCLUSION

The rigid rules in athletics, which can be described as “fascist,” are contrary to human nature and the sanctity of labor. With this proposed “Net Score” and “Reasonable Duration” model, every athlete’s right to complete the race is held sacred. It must be remembered that the spirit of sport is not about excluding people, but about bringing them together on fair ground. Under this vision, all athletes will truly compete free and shoulder to shoulder on the track.

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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.)