Several factors can lead to a performance being excluded from official records or rankings. In some cases, the result is simply unavailable, but more often, the performance has been rejected for specific reasons.
For road races, the course might be too short, too downhill, or wind-aided. If any of these conditions apply, all times from that race are excluded. The history pages of many races provide details on these rejections, including whether the course was too short or had excessive downhill slopes (over 5 meters per kilometer of net descent). Wind-aided conditions vary depending on the wind’s direction and the course layout. If a race produces a time bias faster than -5.0 seconds per kilometer, it is considered excessively aided. These instances appear on the race’s history page.
The Lisbon Half Marathon in Portugal is a good example. In 1993, officials remeasured the course and found it 97 meters short, suggesting that the 1991 and 1992 courses were also short. Since 1994, the course appears to have been accurately measured, but its fast times still draw attention. The course drops 3.27 meters per kilometer from start to finish, which, while below the 5 meters per kilometer threshold for disqualification, exceeds the 1 meter per kilometer limit for record-quality courses. As a result, the Lisbon Half Marathon is classified as a point-to-point course, meaning it can benefit from wind assistance. Time biases for each year are listed, and 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, and 2004 have been flagged as excessively aided, with times from those years excluded from the records.
In some cases, officials disqualify individual runners or groups. Race organizers, governing bodies, the IAAF, or the ARRS may issue these disqualifications. They typically result from either the use of banned substances or violations of race rules. The latter includes interference with other runners or using vehicles to draft in road races. You can view the ARRS record-keeping criteria here.
Repeated cheating, like cutting the course or letting someone else run with your race number or chip, can also lead to exclusion. In most cases, all performances by known cheats are rejected. A list of known cheaters is available here.
The following list records rejected performances that meet ARRS standards but were disqualified. While many other disqualified performances exist in the ARRS database, the reasons are unknown, so they are not listed here. Disqualified wins are noted on the respective race pages when available.
Drug disqualifications
| Date | Event | Type | Time | Location | Athlete | Violation/Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Jun 2008 | 3000m | OT | 9:04.39 | Annecy FRA | Julie Coulard (FRA) | Testosterone |
| 13 Jun 2008 | 5000m | OT | 16:13.81 | Sofia BUL | Daniela Yordanova (BUL) | Failed drug test |
| 13 Apr 2008 | Hf Mar | RD | 1:12:21 | Vienna AUT | Susanne Pumper (AUT) | EPO |
| 30 Mar 2008 | Hf Mar | RD | 1:13:23 | Vienna AUT | Susanne Pumper (AUT) | EPO |
| 09 Mar 2008 | Hf Mar | RD | 1:14:12 | Vienna AUT | Susanne Pumper (AUT) | EPO |
| 09 Dec 2007 | Mara | RD | 2:17:26 | Honolulu HI/USA | Ambesse Tolossa (ETH) | Failed drug test |
| 21 Oct 2007 | Mara | RD | 2:17:53.5 | Amsterdam NED | Youssef Galmin (MAR) | Refusal to submit sample |
| 14 Oct 2007 | Hf Mar | RD | 1:05:44 | Dordrecht NED | Youssef Galmin (MAR) | Refusal to submit sample |
| 01 Jul 2007 | Mara | RD | 2:41:21 | Brisbane AUS | Lindsey Scherf (USA) | Refusal to submit sample |
| 13 May 2007 | Hf Mar | RD | 1:04:43 | Albacete ESP | Pablo Lopez (ESP) | Nandrolone |
| 06 May 2007 | Mara | RD | 2:16:09 | Vitoria ESP | Pablo Lopez (ESP) | Nandrolone |
| 28 Jan 2006 | Mara | RD | 2:12:02 | Marrakech MAR | Youssef Galmin (MAR) | Refusal to submit sample |
| 05 Nov 2006 | Mara | RD | 2:14:54 | New York NY/USA | Youssef Galmin (MAR) | Refusal to submit sample |
| 04 Sep 2005 | 10 km | RD | 32:21 | Cape Town RSA | Azwindini Gladys Lukhwareni (RSA) | 19-Norandrosterone |
| 24 Apr 2005 | Mara | RD | 2:12:47 | Hamburg GER | Artur Osman (POL) | |
| 30 Apr 2004 | 10000m | OT | 27:33.53 | Palo Alto CA/USA | Cathal Lombard (IRL) | EPO |
| 07 Feb 2004 | Mara | RD | 2:15:36 | Birmingham AL/USA | Eddy Hellebuyck (USA) | EPO |
| 31 Aug 2003 | Hf Mar | RD | 1:12:19 | Rio de Janeiro BRA | Marizete Rezende (BRA) | |
| 25 May 2003 | 10 km | RD | 29:02 | Santos BRA | Daniel Ferreira (BRA) | |
| 15 Mar 2003 | 3000m | IT | 8:52.21 | Birmingham ENG | Maria Tsirba (GRE) | |
| 03 Nov 2002 | Mara | RD | 2:26:44 | New York NY/USA | Olivera Jevtic (YUG) | |
| 20 Oct 2002 | Mara | RD | 2:29:30 | Amsterdam NED | Alina Gherasim (ROM) | |
| 12 Oct 2002 | 5000m | OT | 15:18.77 | Pusan KOR | Sunita Rani (IND) | |
| 20 Oct 2002 | Mara | RD | 2:20:23 | Beijing CHN | Ya-nan Wei (CHN) | |
| 15 Sep 2002 | Mara | RD | 2:35:24 | Wachau AUT | Larisa Malikova (RUS) | |
| 05 May 2002 | Mara | RD | 2:43:22 | Hannover GER | Mariya Latysheva (RUS) | |
| 05 May 2002 | Mara | RD | 2:31:45 | Pittsburgh PA/USA | Wioletta Kryza (POL) | |
| 09 Feb 2002 | 10 km | RD | 34:49 | Houston TX/USA | Desiree Owen (USA) | |
| 09 Jun 2001 | 10000m | OT | 27:29.53 | Tokyo JPN | Alene Emere (ETH) | |
| 08 Apr 2001 | Mara | RD | 2:35:01 | Paris FRA | Silvana Trampuz (AUS) | Nandrolone |
| 17 Oct 1999 | Mara | RD | 2:35:54 | Istanbul TUR | Florina Pana (ROM) | |
| 24 Jun 1999 | 10000m | OT | 27:45.74 | Bologna ITA | Giuliani Battocletti (ITA) | |
| 18 Apr 1999 | Mara | RD | 2:07:37 | Rotterdam NED | Julio Rey (ESP) | |
| 10 May 1998 | Mara | RD | 2:15:35 | Turin ITA | Migidio Bourifa (ITA) | |
| 20 Sep 1997 | 24 Hr | RD | 250.772 km | Courcon FRA | Seiji Arita (JPN) | |
| 13 Sep 1997 | 100km | RD | 7:06:55 | Winschoten NED | Maria Bak (GER) | Steroids |
| 08 Dec 1996 | Mara | RD | 2:16:06 | Calvia ESP | Mohammed Fahd (MAR) | |
| 01 Dec 1996 | Mara | RD | 2:16:10 | Florence ITA | Roberto Barbi (ITA) | |
| 10 Nov 1996 | Mara | RD | 2:14:05 | Puteaux FRA | Mohammed Fahd (MAR) | |
| 13 Oct 1996 | Mara | RD | 2:14:09 | Lausanne SUI | Mohammed Fahd (MAR) | |
| 04 Jun 1995 | Mara | RD | 2:33:47 | Prague CZE | Alena Peterkova (CZE) | |
| 12 Feb 1995 | Mara | RD | 2:10:44 | Tokyo JPN | Antoni Niemczak (POL) | |
| 17 Apr 1994 | Mara | RD | 2:10:28 | Rotterdam NED | Gang-jun Hu (CHN) | |
| 06 Mar 1994 | Mara | RD | 2:40:12 | Los Angeles CA/USA | Sylvia Mosqueda (USA) | |
| 01 May 1993 | 24hr | RD | 264.718 km | Basel SUI | Nikolay Safin (RUS) | Steroids |
| 01 Nov 1992 | Mara | RD | 2:33:26 | New York NY/USA | Gordon Bakoulis (USA) | |
| 04 Mar 1990 | Mara | RD | 2:33:36 | Los Angeles CA/USA | Sirje Eichelmann (EST) | |
| 09 Aug 1987 | 3000m | OT | 9:11.30 | Birmingham ENG | Dorina Briand (ROM) | |
| 02 Nov 1986 | Mara | RD | 2:11:21 | New York NY/USA | Antoni Niemczak (POL) | |
| 06 Aug 1984 | 10000 |
Stimulant disqualifications
| Date | Event | Type | Time | Location | Athlete | Violation/Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06 Oct 2001 | 100km | RD | 6:35:19 | Santa Cruz/Bezana ESP | Gregoriy Muzin (RUS) | |
| 21 Jan 1996 | Mara | RD | 2:31:03 | Houston TX/USA | Tatyana Pozdniakova (UKR) | Cold medicine |
| 17 Feb 1991 | 100km | RD | 6:37:58 | Palamos ESP | Eric Seedhouse (GBR) | Decongestant |
Pacing violations
| Date | Event | Type | Time | Location | Athlete | Violation/Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Mar 2006 | 25 km | RD | 1:11:37 | Alpen a/d Rijn NED | Haile Gebreselasie (ETH) | Joined by pacers at 5 km |
| 12 Mar 2006 | 20 km | RD | 58:17 | Alpen a/d Rijn NED | Salim Kipsang (KEN) | Paced Gebreselasie in 25 km |
| 07 Jun 1987 | Mara | RD | 2:37:52 | Sydney AUS | Tani Ruckle (AUS) | Pacing violation |
Note: The pacing violations on 12 Mar 2006 were declared by the ARRS.
Illegal drafting
| Date | Event | Type | Time | Location | Athlete | Violation/Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04 Apr 2004 | Mara | RD | 2:06:14 | Rotterdam NED | Felix Limo (KEN) | Drafting by motor bike |
| 11 Dec 2002 | 10km | RD | 27:02 | Doha QAT | Haile Gebreselasie (ETH) | Drafting by lead truck |
Note: These drafting violations were declared by the ARRS.
Course cutting
| Date | Event | Type | Time | Location | Athlete | Violation/Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Nov 2001 | Mara | RD | n/t | Florence ITA | Ruggero Pertile (ITA) | Course cutting |
| 20 May 2001 | Mara | RD | 2:34:00 | Vienna AUT | Rimma Dubovik (UKR) | Course cutting |
| 03 Jun 2000 | Mara | RD | n/t | Stockholm SWE | Said Dogga (MAR) | Course cutting |
| 16 Apr 2000 | Mara | RD | 2:17:12 | Rotterdam NED | Said Dogga (MAR) | Course cutting |
| 24 Oct 1999 | Mara | RD | n/t | Chicago IL/USA | Said Dogga (MAR) | Course cutting |
| 17 Oct 1999 | 20km | RD | 1:00:11 | Paris FRA | Said Dogga (MAR) | Course cutting |
| 25 Apr 1999 | Mara | RD | 2:14:09 | Hamburg GER | Dariusz Kruczkowski (POL) | Dropped out at 25 km, crossed finish |
| 02 Mar 1997 | Mara | RD | n/t | Los Angeles CA/USA | Nadezhda Wijenberg (NED) | Course cutting |
| 06 Feb 1994 | Mara | RD | n/t | Oita JPN | Gemechu Kebede (ETH) | Misdirected on course |
| 06 Feb 1994 | Mara | RD | n/t | Oita JPN | Maurilio Castillo (MEX) | Misdirected on course |
| 06 Feb 1994 | Mara | RD | n/t | Oita JPN | Jeff Jacobs (USA) | Misdirected on course |
| 01 Mar 1992 | Mara | RD | 2:18:38 | Los Angeles CA/USA | Polin Belisle (BIZ) | Course cutting |
| 05 May 1991 | Mara | RD | 2:17:39 | Long Beach CA/USA | Polin Belisle (BIZ) | Course cutting |
Other infractions
| Date | Event | Type | Time | Location | Athlete | Violation/Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05 Oct 2003 | 5 mi | RD | n/t | Attleboro MA/USA | Mohammed Amyn (MAR) | Interference with winner near finish |
| 22 Jun 2003 | 10 km | RD | 29:11 | San Luis Potosi MEX | Daniel Cheruiyot (KEN) | Switched races after starting |
| 28 Apr 2002 | 50 km | RD | 2:56:44 | Kleinmond RSA | Keith Court (RSA) | Handed fluids at aid station |
| 14 Apr 2002 | Hf Mar | RD | 1:12:47 | La Rochelle FRA | Hanan Farhoun (MAR) | Suspended for behavior (discipline) |
| 24 Mar 2002 | 10 km | RD | 33:45 | Laval FRA | Hanan Farhoun (MAR) | Suspended for behavior (discipline) |
| 01 Oct 2000 | Mara | RD | n/t | Albuquerque NM/USA | Rafael Colmenares (VEN) | Received unfair assistance |
| 20 May 1990 | Mara | RD | n/t | Cleveland OH/USA | Irina Sklyarenko (RUS) | Received unfair assistance |
| 14 Jul 1989 | 5000m | OT | 13:17.84 | London ENG | Eamonn Martin (ENG) | Received split times from his coach |
| 23 Apr 1984 | Mara | RD | 2:14:30 | Cork IRL | Jerry Kiernan (IRL) | Advised letting larger than permitted by IAAF rules |
| 23 Apr 1984 | Mara | RD | 2:48:26 | Cork IRL | Deirdre Nagle (IRL) | More than one advertising logo on singlet |