WORLD RANKING COMPETITIONS AND VENUE REQUIREMENT IN AUSTRALIA

Version 14 January 2025

Since 1 January 2023, World Athletics has implemented its World Rankings Competitions permit system.

The definition of “World Rankings Competitions” (WRC) is (from World Athletics Contents, Rules and Definitions):

World Athletics does not recognise results (for statistical purposes) unless they are achieved in a competition and in specific events in that competition that are listed on the Global Calendar.

This includes:

• Entry Standards for World Athletics Series events and all Major Games
• World Rankings
• Top Lists
• Records (World, Area, National)

Australian Athletics is responsible (where applicable in conjunction with Oceania Athletics) for the application for permits for all national championships and national level competitions and most international level/tour competitions held in Australia.

Australian Athletics delegates to each Member Association the power and responsibility for applying for track and field meets and road races held under its jurisdiction to be a World Ranking Competition (WRC). The process is then that AA will approve the application on pass it on to World Athletics for final approval and calendar listing. Race Organisers may similarly make application for races under their ownership or control to be a WRC.

All competitions which will be recognised as complying with the World Rankings Competitions requirements must be delivered strictly under World Athletics Competition and Technical Rules, including but not limited to the following elements:

• For walks, at least three(3) approved race walk judges (Bronze level or above, from the available list in the calendar tool)
• For track events, a member of the national photo-finish panel acting as a photo-finish judge
• For athletes in Open and Under 20 competition the World Athletics shoe rules and regulations must be enforced
• [as from 1 October 2025] There must be at least one Bronze Level Referee in attendance who can validate that the competition was run in accordance with the World Athletics rules (this name will be required in the calendar tool in the future).

1. Adding a Competition on the Calendar
   1. All competitions must be added at least thirty (30) days prior to the first day of competition (the rules say 60 days but the strict cut-off is at 30 days).
   2. E Permit Level
      1. In general, all MA competition receive an F level permit. AA has been given an allocation of eight E level permits. These will be allocated to the six state track and field championships, the ACT championships and the Unisport Nationals. If an MA wishes to access this and have its open track and field championships to receive an upgrade to an E permit, it must check the relevant box when applying for the permit. Until further notice no other application should check that box.
   3. Events to be Contested
      1. When creating a competition Member Associations include all events on the timetable which will/do meet the requirement for a World Ranking Competition.
      2. If the events to be contested change then the event list must be updated. No additional events can be added in the last seven (7) days before a competition.
      3. Events can be removed at any time before the competition (including if some events no longer meet WRC requirements).
      4. Generally, only events from Under 15 years and above are added as for technical events the specifications are not recognised by World Athletics (even some Under 16 also) or the athletes generally do not meet the minimum standards to be included in results.
      5. Do not add events which are not valid (like technical events [throws and hurdles for men for example] for under 16 which do not have World Athletics specifications.
   4. Requirements for World Ranking Competition
      1. Where a national competition is registered, it must be sanctioned by the hosting Member Federation, and the relevant rules for competition at that level must be adhered to, including the prescribed permit conditions, number and level of those officiating, etc.
      2. All competitions must be held at facilities as outlined in the World Athletics Technical Rule 2: The Athletics Facility (see below). Where a competition requires a Class 2 facility then the competition will only be approved where the certificate is included with the application.
      3. The appropriate technical equipment as per World Athletics Rules must be used as required (e.g., electronic timing, wind measurement, certified implements, etc.).
      4. Applications for events held on temporary facilities will only be accepted subject to the appropriate measurement surveys.
      5. Road events (including Race Walking) must be held on properly measured courses which hold an International Measurement Certificate valid on race day. The certificate is included in the application.
      6. For Race Walking events, a minimum of three Race Walking Judges must be on duty (from those available in the drop-down in the application). If, at the time of registering a competition, the names of the race walking judges are not known or change then you must update the just list ASAP so the list is accurate. If only 3 are at the appropriate level then organisers should appoint another walk judge as chief judge. For full compliance check the list the day before the competition (it cannot be changed after the competition).
      7. Athletes must wear clothing, shoes and bibs which are compliant with Technical Rule 5 (for road races, this is limited to the elite component as defined by the race organiser). Shoe rules and regulations only apply for Under 20 and open age groups (Australian ruling) – but including any younger athletes competing in them.
      8. All events applied for within the Application must correspond with the specific rules for each age group and be appropriate for the age and ability of the athlete.
      9. If the MA conducts selected events within the competition in compliance with World Athletics Competition and Technical Rules, then only those events are listed in the Application as part of the competition program. Events such as Under 16 sprint hurdles would not be listed as the Australian specifications are not compliant.
      10. If the MA has selected athletes within an event who comply with World Athletics Competition and Technical Rules, then the noncompliant athletes must be clearly listed separately in the results as their performances will not be considered for World Rankings scoring and statistical / results purposes by World Athletics (for example non-compliant shoes or wheelchair athletes).
      11. Only national, area and world championship cross country events are eligible for WRC status as per ranking rules (at World Athletics).
      12. Each Member Association liaises with all road race (running or walking) organisers that conduct events within their jurisdiction (other than those which already have a current World Athletics Road Race Label) to ensure that if they wish they apply (with the MAs assistance) to be a WRC. Obviously, they are not able to do so unless they have a current World Athletics/AIMS course measurement certificate. If the organiser then seeks to be a WRC, it is an Australian Athletics requirement that the race agrees to appoint as race referee a qualified referee nominated to it by the applicable MA. The Referee is in turn responsible for declaring after the race that it was conducted in accordance with all applicable rules and that the athletes ran the measured course.
2. Results
   1. Results of all WRC competitions must be communicated to World Athletics by MAs as soon as possible after the competition. https://worldathletics.org/records/send-competition-results or by email to statistics@worldathletics.org. MAs should also copy competitions@athletics.org.au on the email (assuming email used). This should never be done by other individual as only the organiser is aware of the status of the results.
   2. In providing the results MAs must ensure to only provide results for events which are approved in the calendar. Results can be provided results in pdf, excel, word or text or with a URL.
   3. Results should be provided in one grouping format only, in the way in which the heats were grouped.
   4. Do not provide results for events not recognized by World Athletics (like U16 hurdles etc)
   5. Do not provide results for races where the rules have not been applied (like shoe check in lower grade races)
   6. Results in road races must be gun times and must not include decimals (except in road mile as per World Athletics rules). The best solution here is to provide a document with both gun and net times for all athletes who are under the World Athletics cut-off time (gun time). All cut-off times are available in the World Athletics Top Lists. Do not describe net times as official, use “net” or “athlete” or similar.
   7. Para athletes should not be included in the results unless those athletes complied with World Athletics rules (i.e. no wheelchair results, WA approved prosthetics, lighter implements etc.)
3. Other Competitions
   1. Athletics Australia Domestic Permits
      Member Associations must apply for any other meets or races (that it wishes to be recognised) to receive an Athletics Australia Domestic Permit. This should include MA cross country championships and events as well as interclub, shield, carnival, major school track and field meets for which WRC is not sought or applicable. These meets will be covered by the National Insurance Program and will be valid for state/national ranking lists and entry to national championships. Submit competitions on the form at https://www.athletics.com.au/event-calendar/event-submission/
   2. World Para Athletics Permit
      All WRC competitions (where para athletes are able to participate) are included in the WPA calendar without further action by MAs. These are copies of WRC already submitted. WPA competitions have a 15 day cut-off for application. Australian Athletics is responsible for adding these competitions.
   3. Unsanctioned Competitions
      Unsanctioned meets and races will in general not be valid for any purpose and may not be covered by the National Insurance Program unless this has been clarified in advance either specifically or on an ongoing basis.
4. Venue Requirements
   1. The venue requirements and in particular the certification of tracks is covered in the Competition Rules & Technical Rules Book C2.1 Rule 2, “The Athletics Facility” found online in the World Athletics Library.
   2. What this means in practical terms in Australia is (as determined by World Athletics) that the following competitions must have at least as Class 2 certificate or cannot be approved.
      1. Continental Tour Gold Meets (Maurie Plant Meet)
      2. Any competition which is upgraded from F to E, that is any State Championship which is upgraded. State Championships can still proceed without certification and without an upgrade and can still be a valid WRC.
   3. The full list of certified tracks is available in the World Athletics Library under Certification System.