Larissa Iapichino withdrew from Dusseldorf meeting due to the new experimental rules in the long jump

European silver medalist Larissa Iapichino withdrew from the ISTAF competition in Dusseldorf on Sunday as athletes will be taking off from a wider area rather than the traditional board.

The new take-off area, which is 40cm long, was developed by World Athletics to reduce fouls, create a fairer competition for athletes and increase the excitement of the event. The aim is to make the long jump more engaging for both competitors and spectators, while minimizing invalid jumps.

Larissa Iapichino made it clear that she did not support the new change.

“I had to withdraw from the competition after being informed of this new take-off format just eight days in advance. A change of this magnitude could have significant consequences, but there has not yet been any prior testing or proper evaluation. With such an important year ahead, I cannot take unnecessary risks. We had already informed the organizers that I was working with a new take-off and expecting precise accuracy under these conditions would not be reasonable”, said Larissa Iapichino. “I am categorically against this format. The long jump is determined by technical requirements and changing the take-off fundamentally changes the nature of the event. If this change is implemented, the long jump will lose its essence and become a completely different sport”, added she.