# Participant Statuses, Notes, Penalties and Bonuses

The **Participant Status** in RUFUS Race Manager (RRM) represents the current state of a participant within a race. Status management, along with notes and penalties, allows race operators to correctly reflect race outcomes and provide additional context for participants when needed.

This article explains:

* Participant status types
* Automatic and manual status management
* Participant notes
* Penalties and bonuses applied to participants

These tools help race organizers maintain **accurate classifications and transparent race records**.

## Participant Status Types

![](https://rufus-serverless-v1-shopmediabucket-yqa11v58uwom.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/knowledge/assets/knowledge_asset_5c77753c552d41b2a1e9d546831ae51f/imported.png)
_Participant Status Selector_

Participants can have one of the following statuses.

| Status | Description |
| --- | --- |
| NOT_STARTED | The participant has not yet started the race. |
| IN_RACE | The participant has started the race but has not yet finished. |
| FINISH | The participant has completed the race. |
| DNS | Did Not Start – the participant did not start the race. |
| DNF | Did Not Finish – the participant started but did not finish. |
| DSQ | Disqualified – the participant has been disqualified. |
| DNQ | Did Not Qualify – the participant did not qualify for the race. |

The current participant status can be seen and edited in the **Edit Participant view**.

## System-Managed Statuses

The following statuses are automatically determined by the system based on the participant’s recorded passings.

| Status | Condition |
| --- | --- |
| NOT_STARTED | No passings have been recorded for the participant. |
| IN_RACE | One or more passings exist but the final finish passing has not yet occurred. |
| FINISH | A valid finish passing has been recorded (lap ID 9999). |

These statuses update automatically during the race to reflect the participant’s progress.

## Manually Assignable Statuses

Race operators can manually assign the following statuses when needed.

| Status | Usage |
| --- | --- |
| DNS | Participant did not start the race. |
| DNF | Participant started but did not finish. |
| DSQ | Participant was disqualified. |
| DNQ | Participant did not qualify for the race. |

Manual status changes override the system-determined status until it is restored.

## Restoring the Participant Status

If a participant status has been manually modified, it can be restored to the **system-determined status**.

Use the **Restore Participant Status** button next to the status selector.

This will recalculate the participant status based on the recorded passings.

Example:

If a participant was marked **DNF** but valid passings indicate they finished the race, restoring the status will change it back to **FINISH**.

## Participant Notes

A **Participant Note** allows race operators to add contextual information to a participant.

This field can be used to record:

* The reason for a disqualification
* Manual decisions from race officials
* Observations about race incidents
* Any other race control notes

Examples:

* *Cut course at km 18*
* *Manual finish verification*
* *Incorrect bib number reported*

When a note is present, a **note indicator icon** appears next to the participant in the participant list.

This helps race operators quickly identify participants with special notes or race decisions.

## Penalties and Bonuses

![](https://rufus-serverless-v1-shopmediabucket-yqa11v58uwom.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/knowledge/assets/knowledge_asset_bd092621a3584deea9353636a3d0871f/imported.png)
_Participant note/reason & Penalty & Bonus box_

RRM allows race operators to apply **time penalties or bonuses** to participants.

This feature is used when race rules require time adjustments due to infractions or official decisions.

Examples include:

* **Penalty** for cutting the course
* **Penalty** for missing a checkpoint
* **Bonus** time adjustment granted by race officials

When a penalty or bonus is applied:

* The adjustment is reflected in the participant’s result
* A description of the adjustment can be recorded
* The information appears in the participant editor

Typical examples:

| Adjustment | Example |
| --- | --- |
| **Penalty** | +120 seconds – Cut course |
| **Bonus** | −30 seconds – Official correction |

## Status Reasons and Race Control Context

Participant notes and penalty descriptions act as **status reasons**, allowing race operators to document why a decision was made.

This ensures that race classifications remain **transparent and auditable**.

Reasons may include:

* Disqualification justification
* Penalty explanations
* Official race control notes

These notes provide valuable context for organizers reviewing results after the event.

## Race App Integration

Participant notes and penalties can also be generated automatically by **Race App actions** during race operations.

For example, race judges using the Race App may:

* Apply penalties
* Flag participants
* Send race control notes

When these actions occur, the corresponding notes and adjustments appear automatically in the **participant editor in RRM**.

## Initial Participant Status

When participants are first added to an event, their initial status is:

**NOT_STARTED**

As passings are recorded during the race, the system automatically updates the status to **IN_RACE** or **FINISH**.

## Summary

Participant status management in RRM combines automated race tracking with manual race control tools.

Race organizers can:

* Monitor system-generated statuses
* Assign manual race statuses
* Add notes explaining race decisions
* Apply penalties or bonuses when required

These tools ensure race results remain **accurate, transparent, and fully documented**.