Walk, Don't Run: Olympic Race Walking Controversies

In race walking, the competitor’s front foot must touch the ground before the rear foot leaves the track. Additionally, walkers must straighten each leg when it first contacts the ground. These rules are what separate walking from running. Violations are termed “lifting.”

Lifting penalties are at the heart of several Olympic race walking controversies, including the multiple disqualifications the occurred at the 1980 Games. Mexico’s Daniel Bautista was the defending champion in the 20,000-meter walk, but photos from his victorious performance from 1976 clearly showed him lifting. At the Moscow Games, the pendulum swung in the opposite direction as seven walkers were disqualified for lifting.

Bautista was leading the 20K race with less than 2500 meters remaining when he was disqualified. Anatoly Solomin of the Soviet Union inherited the lead, but not for long, as he was also disqualified for lifting.

Italy’s Maurizio Damilano survived the officials’ close scrutiny to win in an Olympic record time of 1:23:35.5, shaving more than a minute from Bautista’s winning time from 1976.

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