Heart Monitors Can Cost CT Runners Their Results
Connecticut runners who use heart rate monitors should check state rules, since a device allowed nationally may still lead to disqualification.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Running
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The CIAC disqualified Xavier junior Quentin Koch, who finished second, from the boys cross country State Open for wearing a heart rate monitor. A jury of appeals made up of cross country coaches upheld the disqualification, and Xavier still won the team title and qualified for the New England championship meet.
Why it matters
For Connecticut runners and families who use wearable heart rate monitors during training and competition, the ruling shows that state association rules can differ from national guidance and can affect results even when a device seems permitted. The decision came after a referee filed a protest, which underscores that device rules are enforced case by case at meets.
The ruling rests on a CIAC rule that treats any illegal aid other than a watch, including a heart rate monitor, as grounds for disqualification. The jury of appeals relied primarily on that written rule, while the NFHS framework allows wearable heart monitors as long as no electronically transmitted data reaches the runner from a coach or third party during the race.
The players
Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC)
The state governing body for high school athletics in Connecticut, which sets the cross country rules under which the disqualification was issued.
National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)
The national body that sets high school athletic rules, which permits wearable heart monitors under conditions that differ from Connecticut's rule.
Xavier High School
The Middletown, Connecticut school whose boys cross country team won the State Open title and qualified for the New England championship.
The details
Koch's heart monitor sends its readings to a phone app, but the data cannot be viewed until the race ends, which is the central fact in the dispute. Xavier coach Chris Stonier argued that a rule he believed supported Koch should apply, but the jury of appeals denied the appeal. The NFHS clarified in 2019 that wearable technology is legal under its rules when no live data is transmitted to the runner during competition.
Timeline
Saturday: Koch wore the heart monitor at the Class MM championship meet, where he finished second before being disqualified.
Friday: Baron emailed a statement on the jury's deliberation and decision.
2019: The NFHS clarified the legality of wearable technology under its rules.
Health Landscape
The NFHS 2019 clarification allowed wearable heart monitors as long as no live data reached the runner during competition, a standard that many state associations adopted. Connecticut's CIAC rule instead disqualifies runners for any illegal aid other than a watch, which places it on a stricter track than the national framework.
If you or your child uses a heart rate monitor for training, check your state association's rules on wearable devices before competing, since a rule that is legal nationally may still lead to disqualification. Heart rate data is useful for training, but questions about how it is used during a race are worth raising with your coach or physician.
The takeaway
Know the specific rules of your state association before using any wearable device in competition, because a permitted device can still lead to disqualification. Ask your coach or physician how heart rate tracking fits into your training plan.
What happens next
The New England championship meet will be held at Troy Howard Middle School in Belfast, Maine, where Xavier's team will compete after qualifying.
Further reading
For more on training and competition gear, browse our Running coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by New Haven Register.
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