Three runners, three different stories
Imagine a fictional 1500 m results sheet. Runner A is marked DNS, Runner B DNF and Runner C DQ. DNS means did not start. DNF means did not finish; in the standard World Athletics notation it applies to running, race walking and combined events. DQ means disqualified and should be accompanied by the relevant rule reference.
A replay of the start might contain B and C while A is absent. A replay of the finish might omit B, while C could physically cross the line before the official result excludes the performance. The same empty time column therefore cannot support one shared explanation for all three athletes.
A status is not a medical diagnosis
Neither DNS nor DNF supplies a complete reason. An entry could fail to start for different reasons, and a retirement during a race does not by itself prove an injury. Use an official team statement, competition report or referee decision for the explanation. Avoid converting a two-letter result into a claim about health or intent.
DQ requires another step: locate the cited rule and any published decision. A short broadcast clip can show only part of the relevant sequence. The official status can also be updated after an appeal, so save the result version or publication time when comparing a live screenshot with a later report.
Field-event blanks need their own reading
World Athletics uses NM for no valid trial recorded. That is different from DNS. A jumper could attend and attempt the event yet finish without a valid mark. Conversely, an athlete who has not taken a trial can receive a different status from someone who retires after recording a valid attempt.
For a replay search, record the athlete, event, round and exact code. Then choose the evidence you need: a start list for participation, an attempt series for a field event, or an official ruling for a disqualification. This prevents a missing number from becoming an invented performance or an invented incident.
Related questions
Does DNF prove an injury?
No. It records non-completion; the reason needs separate evidence.
Sources and scope
Scope notes distinguish published documentation, supplied information and editorial methods. They do not report a hands-on service test.
- World Athletics 2026 rules — Standard result abbreviations, rule references and field-event distinctions
