In August this year, at the Paris 2024 Olympics a local Race Walking judge, Steve Taylor, officiated at his third Olympic Games! No stranger to the international stage, Steve represented the Isle of Man in the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Canada and has been Chief Judge at World and European Championships.
We caught up with Steve and Isle of Man Athletics to find out more about his experiences, what got him into the sport and how anyone can get involved in officiating!
So, how did you get involved as a Race Walking Judge?
I started as a runner and was asked if I would make up a team for the Merseyside Schools' race walking championships in 1982. I competed in a 5km race and came last, but was hooked after receiving compliments on my technique.
My three children have all tried race walking and it was when my eldest son competed off-Island for the first time and was disqualified, I decided to become an official. There were no active race walk judges on the island at the at time, so I decided then and there that I wanted to become a race walking judge - mainly to help athletes prepare for when they compete away from the Isle of Man.
What does a Race Walk official do?
There are two key aspects to race walking. Firstly, the athlete must maintain contact with the ground at all times and secondly, the lead leg must be straight on first contact with the ground until in the vertically upright position.
Judgement is made solely by the human eye which can lead to controversy when still frames and slow-motion videos can show a loss of contact which is undetectable by the human eye. Whilst we do issue red cards for disqualification at times, I see the role of a judge not to disqualify but, with the judicial use of the yellow caution paddle, to assist as many athletes and competitors to get to the finish in the fairest way possible.
What’s the difference between officiating at grass roots level and at an Olympics?
The Olympics is something else - it’s on another level! Many sports men and women say it’s the pinnacle of their sporting careers and it’s no different for officials.
Preparation for the Games is the same as any level of event and when on duty I will watch, caution and issue red disqualification cards as required. However, at some grassroots events, encouragement and development are much more important and as such strong words of caution tend to be used more often.
What do you enjoy most about officiating?
Through officiating, I have made friends all over the world but my greatest enjoyment is at grassroots and local levels when athletes set a new personal best or win medals and I hope that in some small way my encouragement and feedback has helped them achieve that.
Knowing that you have witnessed something special also brings great joy. Two great examples are that I was officiating when Yohann Diniz set both his track and road world records for 50km in Riems and Zurich respectively. The atmosphere on both the track and roads was something special and the experiences will live with me forever.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out on their officiating journey?
The adage goes that there is no event without the officials. Whilst this is true the event is about the competitor and not the official, so don’t expect to receive recognition and reward, even a simple thank you can be hard to come by.
However, all sports need officials and if you are interested then take it seriously and learn the rules. I recommend that you get yourself a mentor who you can listen to and learn from. Most importantly get as much experience as possible!
Been inspired by Steve and want to give officiating a go?
There are lots of opportunities to get involved as an official, be that in track and field, race walking, endurance, timekeeping or even as a Race Director! You can view all officiating qualifications here: https://www.englandathletics.org/coaches-and-officials/officials-qualifications/
Alternatively, contact your local Athletics club or the Isle of Man Athletics Development Officer, Ollie Lockley for more information on local opportunities:
Helen Thompson, Chair of Isle of Man Athletics said:
"At all levels of athletics, the sport relies on officials. Without them, events simply would not happen, and here on the Island we are lucky enough to have a dedicated, hard-working group of qualified officials. Steve is a great example of someone who has started their officiating journey at local level here on the Island, and through many years of experience and study, have attained the highest possible international level. We are all proud of Steve’s achievements and I know he is a great asset to the race walkers here - regularly advising on technique and judging in local races."
Steve Partington, Isle of Man Athletics Head of Performance said:
"Manx race walking coaches and athletes are so lucky to have someone of Steve’s level on the Island. His presence brings kudos to our races, but beyond that, he is generous with his time and technical expertise. His input helps prepare juniors for off-island competition, and his technical knowledge is invaluable. It says a lot about his character that a week after he was Chief Judge at the Olympics, he was back at the NSC judging an under 11 400m walk. He’s a modest manand doesn’t make a fuss about his achievements, but we are all really proud of him."