World Athletics

World Athletics, formerly known as the International Amateur Athletic Federation (from 1912 to
2001) and International Association of Athletics Federations (from 2001 to 2019, both
abbreviated as the IAAF) is the international governing body for the sport of athletics, covering
track and field, cross country running, road running, race walking, mountain running, and ultra
running. Included in its charge are the standardization of rules and regulations for the sports,
certification of athletic facilities, recognition and management of world records, and the
organisation and sanctioning of athletics competitions, including the World Athletics
Championships. The organisation's president is Sebastian Coe of the United Kingdom, who was
elected in 2015 and re-elected unopposed in 2019 for a further four years.[2][3]
 World Athletics

Formation 18 July 1912

Founded at Stockholm, Sweden

Type Sports federation

Headquarters 6–8, quai Antoine-1er, Monaco

Membership 214 member federations

President Sebastian Coe

Revenue (2019) US$55 million[1]

Website worldathletics.org (https://www.worldathletics.or

g/)

Formerly called IAAF (to October 2019)

World Athletics suspended the Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) from World Athletics
starting in 2015, for eight years, due to doping violations, making it ineligible to host World
Athletics events or send teams to international championships.[4] However, Russian athletes
were eligible to compete pursuant to the Authorised Neutral Athlete (ANA) process.[4]

In 2022, though, World Athletics imposed sanctions against the Member Federations of Russia
and Belarus because of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, and all athletes, support
personnel, and officials from Russia and Belarus were excluded from all World Athletics Series
events for the foreseeable future, and Russian athletes who had received ANA status for 2022
were excluded from World Athletics Series events for the foreseeable future.[4] World Athletics
Council also applied sanctions on the Belarus Athletic Federation, including banning its hosting
of any international or European athletics events, representation at Congress or in decisions
which require Congressional votes, involvement of its personnel in programs, and accreditation
to attend any World Athletics Series events.[5]
History

The process to found World Athletics began in Stockholm, Sweden, on 18 July 1912 soon after
the completion of the 1912 Summer Olympics in that city. At that meeting, 27 representatives
from 17 national federations agreed to meet at a congress in Berlin, Germany, the following year,
overseen by Sigfrid Edström who was to become the fledgling organisation's first president. The
1913 congress formally completed the founding of what was then known as the International
Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF).[6][7][8]

It was headquartered in Stockholm from 1912 to 1946, in London from 1946 to 1993, and
thereafter moved to its current location in Monaco.

In 1926, the IAAF created a commission to regulate all ball games which were played by hand,
including basketball and handball. Subsequently, the International Amateur Handball Federation
was founded in 1928, and the International Basketball Federation was founded in 1932.

Beginning in 1982, the IAAF passed several amendments to its rules to allow athletes to receive
compensation for participating in international competitions. However, the organization retained
the word amateur in its name until its 2001 congress, at which it changed its name to the
International Association of Athletics Federations. In June 2019 the organization chose to
rebrand as World Athletics, with a rollout beginning after the 2019 World Championships in
Doha.[9]

Following repeated requests, World Athletics became the last body within the Association of
Summer Olympic International Federations to make public its financial reports in 2020. It
revealed the organisation had revenue of around US$200 million spread over a four-year Olympic
cycle, with around a fifth of that revenue coming from Olympic broadcasting rights. The reports
showed a deficit in each of the non-Olympic years of 2017 and 2018 of around US$20 million. It
also showed heavy dependence on its partnership with Japanese marketing agency Dentsu,
which made up half of 2018's revenue. It also highlighted reserves of US$45 million at the end of
2018, which would allow the organisation to remain solvent in the face of delays to the 2020
Summer Olympics due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[10][11] World Athletics Day is celebrated on 7
May.

In 2022, World Athletics imposed sanctions against the Member Federations of Russia and
Belarus because of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, and all athletes, support personnel,
and officials from Russia and Belarus were excluded from all World Athletics Series events for
the foreseeable future, and Russian athletes who had received ANA status for 2022 were
excluded from World Athletics Series events for the foreseeable future.[4] World Athletics Council
also applied sanctions on the Belarus Athletic Federation, including banning its hosting of any
international or European athletics events, representation at Congress or in decisions which
require Congressional votes, involvement of its personnel in programs, and accreditation to
attend any World Athletics Series events.[5]

Governance

President Sebastian Coe during a media session at the 2015 Doha Diamond League

World Athletics is headed by a president. The World Athletics Council has a total of 26 elected
members, comprising one president, four vice-presidents (one senior), the presidents of the six
area associations, two members of the Athletes' Commission and 13 Council members. Each
member of the Council is elected for a four-year period by the World Athletics Congress, a
biennial gathering of athletics officials that consists of the Council, Honorary Members, and up
to three delegates from each of the national member federations.[12] Chairpersons and member
of Committees, which manage specialist portfolios, are also elected by the Congress. There are
four committees: the Cross Country Committee, the Race Walking Committee, the Technical
Committee, and the Women's Committee.[13] A further three committees were launched in 2019:
Development, Governance and Competitions.[14] The governance structure is outlined in the
World Athletics Constitution, which may be amended by the Congress.[15]

The World Athletics Council appoints a chief executive officer (CEO), who is focused on
improving the coverage of the sport and the organisation's commercial interests. This role was
created and merged with the General Secretary role that had existed previously. British former
athlete and businessman Jon Ridgeon was appointed to the role in December 2018.[16] Olivier
Gers was the first person to officially hold the position in 2016, succeeding the interim
CEO/General Secretary Jean Gracia.[17]

In order to give active athletes a voice in the governance of the sport, World Athletics created the
Athletes' Commission. Athletes are elected to the commission by other athletes, typically held at
the Congress attached to the World Athletics Championships. The commission chairperson and
one other athlete of the opposite sex are given voting rights on the Council. The last election
was held in October 2019 at the 2019 World Athletics Championships.[18]

Following doping and corruption issues, a Code of Ethics was agreed in 2013 and an Ethics
Commission was appointed in 2014.[19] The Council appoints the chairperson from the elected
members, and in turn the chairperson appoints a deputy chair.[20] The Ethics Board's scope was
limited in 2017 with the creation of the independent Athletics Integrity Unit, headed by Australia's
Brett Clothier, to oversee ethical issues and complaints at arm's length.[21]

The International Athletics Foundation is a charity closely associated with World Athletics that
engages in projects and programmes to develop the sport. Albert II, Prince of Monaco is the
Honorary President and the role of IAF President is held by the World Athletics President.[22] A
World Athletics Heritage department was created in 2018 to maintain historic artefacts and
display them through a physical gallery in Monaco, a virtual online gallery, and a travelling
exhibition. The department also issues World Athletics Heritage Plaques to commemorate
locations of historic interest to the sport.[23]
Presidents

The fourth IAAF president, Primo Nebiolo

There have been six presidents since the establishment of World Athletics:

Name Country Presidency

Sigfrid Edström Sweden 1912–1946

Lord Burghley (later Lord Exeter) United Kingdom 1946–1976

Adriaan Paulen Netherlands 1976–1981

Primo Nebiolo Italy 1981–1999

Lamine Diack Senegal 1999–2015

Sebastian Coe United Kingdom 2015–present

World Athletics Council

Former athlete and World Athletics Council member Nawal El Moutawakel

 Name Role Country Profession

United Former athlete and

Sebastian Coe President
Kingdom politician

Sergey Bubka Senior Vice-President Ukraine Former athlete

Ximena Restrepo Vice-President Colombia Former athlete

Vice-President
Norfolk
Geoff Gardner Area Association Politician
Island
President

Nawaf Bin Mohammed Prince and sports

Vice-President Saudi Arabia
Al Saud administrator

Hiroshi Yokokawa Council Member Japan Businessman

Antti Pihlakoski Council Member Finland Sports administrator

Translator and sports

Anna Riccardi Council Member Italy
administrator

Nan Wang Council Member China Sports administrator

Former athlete and

Adille Sumariwalla Council Member India
businessman

Nawal El Moutawakel Council Member Morocco Former athlete

Abby Hoffman Council Member Canada Former athlete

Former athlete and

Sylvia Barlag Council Member Netherlands
physicist

Alberto Juantorena Council Member Cuba Former athlete

United
Willie Banks Council Member Former athlete
States

Raúl Chapado Council Member Spain Former athlete

Dobromir Karamarinov Council Member Bulgaria Former athlete and coach

Beatrice Ayikoru Council Member Uganda Sports administrator

Area Association
Víctor López Puerto Rico Track and field coach
President
 Name Role Country Profession

Hamad Kalkaba Area Association Former athlete and military

Cameroon
Malboum President official

Dahlan Jumaan Al Area Association

Qatar Sports administrator
Hamad President

Area Association
Svein Arne Hansen Norway Track meet director
President

Area Association
Roberto Gesta de Melo Brazil Sports administrator
President

Athlete's Commission
Iñaki Gómez Canada Former athlete
Member

Athlete's Commission New

Valerie Adams Athlete
Member Zealand

Athletes' Commission

French pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie was elected to the Athletes' Commission in 2019.

Members elected in 2019

Following

Renaud Lavillenie (FRA), 627 votes

Valerie Adams (NZL), 613 votes

Bernard Lagat (USA), 589 votes

 Kevin Borlée (BEL), 572 votes

Katerina Stefanidi (GRE), 556 votes

Aisha Praught-Leer (JAM), votes

Existing members
Iñaki Gómez (CAN)

Kim Collins (SKN)

Adam Kszczot (POL)

Thomas Röhler (GER)

Ivana Španović (SRB)

Benita Willis (AUS)

Chairpersons
Athletes' Commission: Iñaki Gómez (CAN)

Ethics Board: Michael Beloff (GBR)

Cross Country Committee: Carlos Cardoso (POR)

Race Walking Committee: Maurizio Damilano (ITA)

Technical Committee: Jorge Salcedo (POR)

Women's Committee: Esther Fittko (GER)

Athletics Integrity Unit: David Howman (NZL)

Area associations
Map of world with six area associations

World Athletics has a total of 214 member federations divided into 6 area associations.[24][25]

AAA – Asian Athletics Association in Asia

CAA – Confederation of African Athletics in Africa
CONSUDATLE – Confederación Sudamericana de Atletismo in South America
EAA – European Athletic Association in Europe
NACAC – North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association in North
America
OAA – Oceania Athletics Association in Oceania

Partner organisations

As of 1 November 2015:[26]

Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS)

International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU)

International Paralympic Committee (IPC Athletics)

International Trail Running Association (ITRA)

World Masters Athletics (WMA)

World Mountain Running Association (WMRA)

Elite Ltd (for incorporation of statistics from all-athletics.com into World Athletics website)[27]

Rules and regulations

Certified Athletic Facilities

Competitions

World Athletics organizes many major athletics competitions worldwide.

World Athletics Series

The World Athletics Championships is the foremost athletics competition held by the governing body
 First Last
Competition Sport Frequency
held held

World Athletics Championships† Outdoor athletics Biennial 1983 Ongoing

Indoor track and

World Athletics Indoor Championships Biennial 1985 Ongoing
field

World Athletics Cross Country Cross country

Biennial 1973 Ongoing
Championships running

World Athletics Half Marathon

Half marathon Biennial 1992 Ongoing
Championships‡

Outdoor track and

World Athletics U20 Championships†† Biennial 1986 Ongoing
field

World Athletics Race Walking Team

Racewalking Biennial 1961 Ongoing
Championships†††

Outdoor track
World Athletics Relays Biennial 2014 Ongoing
relays

World Athletics Trail and Mountain Trail and mountain

Biennial 2021[37] Ongoing
Running Championships running

Outdoor track and

IAAF Continental Cup†††† Quadrennial 1977 2018
field

IAAF World U18 Championships in Outdoor track and

Biennial 1999 2017
Athletics field

IAAF World Marathon Cup Marathon Biennial 1985 2011

IAAF World Road Relay

Ekiden Biennial 1986 1998
Championships

IAAF World Women's Road Race

10K run/15K run Annual 1983 1991
Championships

†
Formerly IAAF World Championships in Athletics
‡
Known as IAAF World Road Running Championships in 2006 and 2007, with 20 km race in
2006
††
Formerly IAAF World Junior Championships
†††
Formerly IAAF World Race Walking Cup
 ††††
Formerly IAAF World Cup

One-day events

Competition Sport First held Last held

Diamond League Outdoor track and field 2010 Ongoing

World Athletics Continental Tour Outdoor track and field 2020 Ongoing

World Athletics Indoor Tour Indoor track and field 2016 Ongoing

World Athletics Label Road Races Road running 2008 Ongoing

World Athletics Cross Country Permit Cross country 1999 Ongoing

World Athletics Challenge - Combined Events Decathlon/heptathlon 1998 Ongoing

World Athletics Challenge - Race Walking Racewalking 2003 Ongoing

IAAF Hammer Throw Challenge Hammer throw 2010 Ongoing

WMRA World Cup Mountain running 1997 Ongoing

IAAF World Challenge Outdoor track and field 2010 2019

IAAF Indoor Permit Meetings Indoor track and field 1997 2015

IAAF Race Walking Challenge Final Racewalking 2007 2012

IAAF World Athletics Tour Outdoor track and field 2006 2009

IAAF Golden League Outdoor track and field 1998 2009

IAAF Super Grand Prix Outdoor track and field 2003 2009

IAAF Grand Prix Outdoor track and field 1985 2009

IAAF World Athletics Final Outdoor track and field 2003 2009

IAAF World Outdoor Meetings Outdoor track and field 2003 2006

IAAF Grand Prix Final Outdoor track and field 1985 2002

IAAF World Cross Challenge Cross country 1990 2000

IAAF Golden Events Outdoor track and field 1978 1982

World Athletics became involved in annual one-day meetings as the sport began to
professionalise in the late 1970s. Between 1978 and 1982, World Athletics staged twelve Golden
Events, all for men and principally in track running, which saw World Athletics offer prizes to
encourage competition. Three years later in 1985, an annual track and field circuit was created in
the form of the IAAF Grand Prix, which linked existing top-level one-day meetings with a season-
ending IAAF Grand Prix Final for a selection of men's and women's events.[38] The IAAF World
Cross Challenge followed in 1990 and began an annual series for cross country running.[39] The
track and field circuit was expanded in 1993 with the creation of the IAAF Grand Prix II level, and
the IAAF Golden League in 1998. World Athletics began recognising annual indoor track meets
via the IAAF Indoor Permit Meetings series in 1997,[40] and in 1998 decathletes and heptathletes
found seasonal support with the creation of the IAAF Combined Events Challenge.[38] The World
Cross Challenge was disbanded in 2000 and cross country reverted to a permit format via the
IAAF Cross Country Permit Meetings.[41] The IAAF Race Walking Challenge was initiated in 2003
to provide a seasonal calendar for racewalking.[42]

World Athletics reformed its track and field circuit in 2003, with the IAAF World Outdoor
Meetings series grouping five tiers of annual track and field competitions: the Golden League,
IAAF Super Grand Prix, Grand Prix, Grand Prix II, and the IAAF World Athletics Final. The new final
format was introduced with a new global performance ranking system for qualification and
featured an increased programme of track and field events, mirroring the World Championships
in Athletics programme bar the road events, combined events, relays, and the 10,000 metres.
The final achieved gender parity in events in 2005, with the inclusion of a women's 3000 metres
steeplechase.[43] The track and field circuit was rebranded as the IAAF World Athletics Tour in
2006, which removed the global rankings and the IAAF Grand Prix II (replaced with a level of
meetings given permit status by continental governing bodies).[44] With World Athletics having
recognised the sport of mountain running in 2002,[45] the annual WMRA World Cup meetings
received official sanctioning in 2006.[46] The IAAF Race Walking Challenge Final was created in
2007 to serve as a seasonal final for the Race Walking Challenge. World Athletics designed a
sanctioning process for the road running competitions in 2008, with races having to meet
organisational requirements to achieve Gold or Silver status under the IAAF Road Race Label
Events brand. This incorporated the World Marathon Majors (a privately run series for major
marathons initiated in 2006) within the Gold Label category. Road running was the last sport
governed by World Athletics to receive seasonal sanctioning.[47]

The 2010 season saw several changes to World Athletics' one-day governance. The World
Athletics Tour was made defunct and replaced with three separate series: the 14-meet Diamond
League as the top level of track meetings, the IAAF World Challenge as a second tier of track
meetings, and the IAAF Hammer Throw Challenge as the top level of hammer throwing contests
(as hammer was not included in the Diamond League). The Road Race Label grouping was also
expanded that year with the creation of a Bronze label status.[48] The Race Walking Challenge
Final was removed from the racewalking schedule after 2012, as the series focused on
international championship performances.[49] In 2016, the IAAF World Indoor Tour was
introduced as a replacement of the Indoor Permit Meetings series.[50]

The track and field circuit is due for further changes in 2020, including an increase in the number
of Diamond League meetings, the reduction of Diamond League events from 32 to 24, reduction
of the Diamond League television running time to 90 minutes, the creation of a one-day Diamond
League final, and the relaunch of the World Challenge series as the World Athletics Continental
Tour.[51][52]

Awards

Doping controversy

See also

References

External links

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