29.04.2009

Future bright for Australia's premier athletics events

The immediate future of Australia’s major international meets in Sydney and Melbourne are now secure following confirmation from the IAAF that it will continue to provide funding to support the two biggest athletics events on the Oceania calendar.
 
Athletics Australia president Rob Fildes OAM confirmed the agreement when he met with IAAF president Lamine Diack on his recent trip to Amman, Jordan for the world cross country championships.
 
“The IAAF are keen to support athletics outside of Europe as part of their world vision,” Fildes said.
 
“Despite the world economic crisis, the IAAF have agreed to continue to provide financial support for another year with an annual review.
 
“The IAAF have a very high opinion of our athletes and our events and recognise in order for our sport to prosper on this side of the world, athletes from the Oceania region need to be able to compete against the best in the world.
 
“The funding from the IAAF is crucial to maintaining the elite international status of our two events. Without this funding, we would not be able to attract the likes of Asafa Powell and world 400m champion Jeremy Wariner to compete in our domestic series.
 
“It was also pleasing to hear from IAAF council members that they are impressed by the calibre of world-class athletes we attract, our crowd attendances, the free-to-air television coverage on Network Ten and the extent of media coverage we receive.”
 
Following the launch of the new IAAF Diamond League earlier this year, the IAAF are yet to announce the exact format of the current ‘World Athletics Tour’ structure. Therefore the status of the Melbourne and Sydney events will be determined by the IAAF in the near future.
 
To be introduced in 2010, the IAAF Diamond League will replace the IAAF Golden League however the final composition of the series will not be confirmed until the end of the 2009 season.
 
The IAAF Diamond League will play a key role in supporting the IAAF World Athletics Series of championships, as well as athletics at the Olympic Games, by building interest in athletics in the period leading up to and immediately afterwards the main event. Thirty-two events will be contested with 16 events being staged by each meeting on a rotational basis.
 
Details of the 2010 Australian athletics season will be confirmed later this year.