View source for World Athletics

{{Short description|World governing body for the sport of athletics}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox organization
| name                     = World Athletics
| logo                     = World Athletics logo.svg
| logo_size                = 320px
| motto                    = 
| type                     = [[List of international sports federations|Sports federation]]
| formation                = {{start date and age|1912|07|18|df=y}}
| abbreviation             = WA
| formerly                 = IAAF (to October 2019)
| founding_location        = [[Stockholm]], Sweden
| headquarters             = 6–8, quai Antoine-1er, [[Monaco]]
| membership               = [[#Area associations|214 member federations]]
| leader_title             = President
| leader_name              = [[Sebastian Coe]]
| revenue                  = US$55 million<ref name=annualrev>{{cite web|url=https://www.thesportsexaminer.com/lane-one-whos-in-the-money-exclusive-analysis-of-our-survey-of-international-federation-finances/|title=Who's in the money? EXCLUSIVE analysis of our survey of International Federation finances|work=The Sports Examiner|first=Rich|last=Perelman|date=24 May 2020|access-date=5 June 2022|archive-date=29 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230529212853/https://www.thesportsexaminer.com/lane-one-whos-in-the-money-exclusive-analysis-of-our-survey-of-international-federation-finances/|url-status=live}}</ref>
| revenue_year             = 2019
| website                  = {{URL|https://worldathletics.org/}}
}}

'''World Athletics''' ('''WA'''), formerly known as the '''International Amateur Athletic Federation''' and '''International Association of Athletics Federations''' and formerly abbreviated as the '''IAAF''', is the international [[sports governing body|governing body]] for the [[sport of athletics]], covering [[track and field]], [[cross country running]], [[road running]], [[racewalking|race walking]], [[mountain running]], and [[ultramarathon|ultra running]]. Included in its charge is the standardization of rules and regulations for the sports, certification of athletic facilities, recognition and management of [[list of world records in athletics|world records]], and the organisation and sanctioning of athletics competitions, including the [[World Athletics Championships]]. The organisation's current president is [[Sebastian Coe]] of the [[United Kingdom]], who was elected to the four-year position in 2015, and re-elected twice in 2019 and 2023 for two further four-year terms.<ref name=bbc0819>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/athletics/33983432|work=[[BBC]] Sport: Athletics|date=19 August 2015|access-date=21 November 2015|title=Athletics: Sebastian Coe Elected IAAF President|archive-date=12 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151112090118/http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/athletics/33983432|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.worldathletics.org/news/press-release/sebastian-coe-president-congress-2019-restrep|title=Coe re-elected as IAAF President, Restrepo elected first ever female Vice President &#124; PRESS-RELEASE |website=World Athletics|access-date=11 March 2022|archive-date=15 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415015930/https://www.worldathletics.org/news/press-release/sebastian-coe-president-congress-2019-restrep|url-status=live}}</ref>

==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).<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=EpsGxfMMpUgC&dq=iaaf+foundation&pg=PA226 Reprint (page 226)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404054143/https://books.google.com/books?id=EpsGxfMMpUgC&dq=iaaf+foundation&pg=PA226 |date=4 April 2023}} at [[Google Books]] UK.<br />&nbsp; ''The 1912 Stockholm Olympics: Essays on the Competitions, the People, the City'', eds. Leif Yttergren and Hans Bolling, Jefferson NC and London: McFarland & Company, Inc., 2012. {{ISBN|978-0-7864-7131-7}}.<br />&nbsp; Translated from the Swedish: ''Stockholmsolympiaden 1912'' (Stockholm: Stockholmia, 2012).</ref><ref>[http://dailyrelay.com/iaaf-presidential-election-history "IAAF Presidential Election History"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150820000645/http://dailyrelay.com/iaaf-presidential-election-history/ |date=20 August 2015}}. Jesse Squire, ''Daily Relay'', 18 August 2015.</ref><ref>[https://iaafmedia.s3.amazonaws.com/competitioninfo/9ae4cea1-f84c-44ec-852f-74bb974d0f5a.pdf "The Beginning of the IAAF: A study of its background and foundation"]. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141109060146/https://iaafmedia.s3.amazonaws.com/competitioninfo/9ae4cea1-f84c-44ec-852f-74bb974d0f5a.pdf |date=9 November 2014}}. Hans Bolling, (adviser: Jan Lindroth), Stockholm/Sweden 2007. Retrieved 18 September 2015.</ref>

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 that 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 sports|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 Athletics|2019 World Championships]] in [[Doha]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://tv5.espn.com/olympics/trackandfield/story/_/id/26933457/track-body-iaaf-rebrand-world-athletics|title=Track body IAAF to rebrand as World Athletics|agency=Associated Press|work=[[ESPN]]|date=9 June 2019|access-date=9 June 2019|archive-date=9 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190609151248/https://tv5.espn.com/olympics/trackandfield/story/_/id/26933457/track-body-iaaf-rebrand-world-athletics|url-status=live}}</ref>

World Athletics became the last body within the [[Association of Summer Olympic International Federations]] to make public its financial reports in 2020, following repeated requests. 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]].<ref>Owen, David (6 June 2020). [https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1095032/accounts-show-world-athletics-deficit World Athletics deficits revealed as sport's long trudge to transparency accelerates] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607065528/https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1095032/accounts-show-world-athletics-deficit |date=7 June 2020}}. ''Inside The Games''. Retrieved 2020-06-17.</ref><ref>Owen, David (14 June 2020). "[https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1095318/dentsu-world-athletics-revenue Dentsu income accounted for more than half of World Athletics revenue in 2018]". ''Inside The Games''. Retrieved 2020-06-17. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200615185935/https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1095318/dentsu-world-athletics-revenue |date=15 June 2020}}.</ref> 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 [[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.<ref name="auto1"/> 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.<ref name="auto"/>

In 2024, requests for similar ban were made for Israel athletes because of [[Gaza war]] were rejected saying they want to remain politically neutral, while Russian and Belarusian track and field athletes were still banned which prevented them participating at [[2024 olympics|2024 Olympics in Paris]] representing their countries.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Davies |first1=Amanda |last2=Klosok |first2=Aleks |last3=Ramsay |first3=George |date=1 March 2024 |title=World Athletics trying to 'remain politically neutral' during conflicts, says Sebastian Coe |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/01/sport/world-athletics-sebastian-coe-israel-russia-spt-intl/index.html |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Duggal |first=Hanna |title=Which countries have been banned from participating in the Olympics? |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/7/26/which-countries-have-been-banned-from-participating-in-the-olympics |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Karthikeyan |first=Suchitra |date=2024-07-22 |title=Olympics 2024: Why there are calls to ban Israel from the Paris Olympics |url=https://www.thehindu.com/sport/olympics/israel-and-olympics-2024-calls-for-boycott-difference-from-russia-and-global-response-explained/article68425219.ece |access-date=2025-04-21 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

==Governance==
[[File:Sebastian Coe 2015.jpg|thumb|President [[Sebastian Coe]] during a media session at the 2015 [[Doha Diamond League]]]]
World Athletics is headed by a [[President (corporate title)|president]]. The World Athletics Council has a total of 26 elected members, comprising one president, four [[vice-president]]s (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.<ref>[https://www.iaaf.org/about-iaaf/structure/congress Congress] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190514164220/https://www.iaaf.org/about-iaaf/structure/congress |date=14 May 2019 }}. IAAF. Retrieved 20 October 2019.</ref> Chairpersons and members 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.<ref>[https://www.iaaf.org/about-iaaf/structure/committees Committees] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190514164221/https://www.iaaf.org/about-iaaf/structure/committees |date=14 May 2019 }}. IAAF. Retrieved 20 October 2019.</ref> A further three committees were launched in 2019: Development, Governance and Competitions.<ref>[https://www.iaaf.org/news/iaaf-news/iaaf-seeking-nominations-for-positions-on-thr IAAF seeking nominations for positions on three newly-established commissions] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191020224815/https://www.iaaf.org/news/iaaf-news/iaaf-seeking-nominations-for-positions-on-thr |date=20 October 2019 }}. IAAF (10 October 2019). Retrieved 2019-10-20.</ref> The governance structure is outlined in the World Athletics Constitution, which may be amended by the Congress.<ref>[https://www.iaaf.org/about-iaaf/documents/constitution#iaaf-constitution Constitution] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021052829/https://www.iaaf.org/about-iaaf/documents/constitution#iaaf-constitution |date=21 October 2019 }}. IAAF. Retrieved 20 October 2019.</ref>

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.<ref>[https://www.iaaf.org/news/press-release/jon-ridgeon-appointed-iaaf-ceo Former international athlete and businessman Jon Ridgeon announced as new IAAF Chief Executive Officer ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191020224814/https://www.iaaf.org/news/press-release/jon-ridgeon-appointed-iaaf-ceo |date=20 October 2019 }}. IAAF (3 December 2018). Retrieved 2019-10-20.</ref> [[Olivier Gers]] was the first person to officially hold the position in 2016, succeeding the interim CEO/General Secretary [[Jean Gracia]].<ref>[https://www.iaaf.org/news/press-release/chief-executive-officer-olivier-gers IAAF announces new Chief Executive Officer] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191020224817/https://www.iaaf.org/news/press-release/chief-executive-officer-olivier-gers |date=20 October 2019 }}. IAAF (12 October 2016). Retrieved 2019-10-20.</ref>

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]].<ref>[https://www.iaaf.org/news/iaaf-news/iaaf-athletes-commission-election-results-201 New IAAF Athletes' Commission members announced ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191007011952/https://www.iaaf.org/news/iaaf-news/iaaf-athletes-commission-election-results-201 |date=7 October 2019 }}. IAAF (6 October 2019). Retrieved 2019-10-07.</ref>

Following doping and corruption issues, a Code of Ethics was agreed in 2013 and an Ethics Commission was appointed in 2014.<ref>[https://www.iaaf.org/news/press-release/iaaf-ethics-commission-members-appointed IAAF Ethics Commission members are appointed] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312100912/http://www.iaaf.org/news/press-release/iaaf-ethics-commission-members-appointed |date=12 March 2016 }}. IAAF (13 March 2013). Retrieved 2019-10-20.</ref> The Council appoints the chairperson from the elected members, and in turn, the chairperson appoints a deputy chair.<ref>[https://www.iaafethicsboard.org/what-is-ethics-board What is the Ethics Board] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170822041025/https://www.iaafethicsboard.org/what-is-ethics-board |date=22 August 2017 }}. IAAF. Retrieved 20 October 2019.</ref> 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.<ref>[https://www.athleticsintegrity.org/know-us Know Us] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211229094220/https://www.athleticsintegrity.org/know-us |date=29 December 2021 }}. Athletics Integrity Unit. Retrieved 20 October 2019.</ref>

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.<ref>[https://www.iaaf.org/about-iaaf/foundation International Athletics Foundation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021052733/https://www.iaaf.org/about-iaaf/foundation |date=21 October 2019 }}. IAAF. Retrieved 20 October 2019.</ref> A World Athletics Heritage department was created in 2018 to maintain historic artifacts and display them through a physical gallery in Monaco, a virtual online gallery, and a traveling exhibition. The department also issues World Athletics Heritage Plaques to commemorate locations of historic interest to the sport.<ref>[https://www.iaaf.org/download/download?filename=56dd3070-b349-4bce-8309-16e1c268c91b.pdf&urlSlug=iaaf-heritage-concept IAAF Heritage Concept] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230821103630/https://worldathletics.org/download/download?filename=56dd3070-b349-4bce-8309-16e1c268c91b.pdf&urlSlug=iaaf-heritage-concept |date=21 August 2023 }}. IAAF. Retrieved 20 October 2019.</ref>

===Presidents===
[[File:Primo Nebiolo.jpg|thumb|The fourth IAAF president, [[Primo Nebiolo]]]]
There have been six presidents since the establishment of World Athletics:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Name
!Country
!Presidency
|-
|[[Sigfrid Edström]]
|{{SWE}}
|1912–1946
|-
|[[David Cecil, 6th Marquess of Exeter|Lord Burghley]]
|{{UK}}
|1946–1976
|-
|[[Adriaan Paulen]]
|{{NED}}
|1976–1981
|-
|[[Primo Nebiolo]]
|{{ITA}}
|1981–1999
|-
|[[Lamine Diack]]
|{{SEN}}
|1999–2015
|-
|[[Sebastian Coe|Lord Coe]]
|{{UK}}
|2015–present
|}

===World Athletics Council===
[[File:Nawal El Moutawakel (cropped).JPG|thumb|Former athlete and World Athletics Council member [[Nawal El Moutawakel]]]]
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Name
!Role
!Country
!Profession
|-
|[[Sebastian Coe]] || President || {{GBR}} || Former athlete and politician
|-
|[[Sergey Bubka]] || Senior Vice-President || {{UKR}} || Former athlete
|-
|[[Ximena Restrepo]] || Vice-President || {{COL}} || Former athlete
|-
|[[Geoff Gardner]] || Vice-President<hr/>Area Association President || {{NFI}} || Politician
|-
|[[Nawaf Bin Mohammed Al Saud]] || Vice-President || {{KSA}} || Prince and sports administrator
|-
|[[Hiroshi Yokokawa]] || Council Member || {{JPN}} || Businessman
|-
|[[Antti Pihlakoski]] || Council Member || {{FIN}} || Sports administrator
|-
|[[Anna Riccardi]] || Council Member || {{ITA}} || Translator and sports administrator
|-
|[[Nan Wang (sports administrator)|Nan Wang]] || Council Member || {{CHN}} || Sports administrator
|-
|[[Adille Sumariwalla]] || Council Member || {{IND}} || Former athlete and businessman
|-
|[[Nawal El Moutawakel]] || Council Member || {{MAR}} || Former athlete
|-
|[[Abby Hoffman]] || Council Member || {{CAN}} || Former athlete
|-
|[[Sylvia Barlag]] || Council Member || {{NED}} || Former athlete and physicist
|-
|[[Alberto Juantorena]] || Council Member || {{CUB}} || Former athlete
|-
|[[Willie Banks]] || Council Member || {{USA}} || Former athlete
|-
|[[Raúl Chapado]] || Council Member || {{ESP}} || Former athlete
|-
|[[Dobromir Karamarinov]] || Council Member || {{BUL}} || Former athlete and coach
|-
|[[Beatrice Ayikoru]] || Council Member || {{UGA}} || Sports administrator
|-
|[[Víctor López (sports administrator)|Víctor López]] || Area Association President || {{PUR}} || Track and field coach
|-
|[[Hamad Kalkaba Malboum]] || Area Association President || {{CMR}} || Former athlete and military official
|-
|[[Dahlan Jumaan Al Hamad]] || Area Association President || {{QAT}} || Sports administrator
|-
|[[Svein Arne Hansen]] || Area Association President || {{NOR}} || Track meet director
|-
|[[Roberto Gesta de Melo]] || Area Association President || {{BRA}} || Sports administrator
|-
|[[Iñaki Gómez]] || Athlete's Commission Member || {{CAN}} || Former athlete
|-
|[[Valerie Adams]] || Athlete's Commission Member || {{NZL}} || Former athlete
|}

===Athletes' Commission===
[[File:Renaud Lavillenie Portland 2016.jpg|thumb|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 (sports administrator)|Carlos Cardoso]] (POR)
*Race Walking Committee: [[Maurizio Damilano]] (ITA)
*Technical Committee: [[Jorge Salcedo (sports administrator)|Jorge Salcedo]] (POR)
*Women's Committee: [[Esther Fittko]] (GER)
*Athletics Integrity Unit: [[David Howman]] (NZL)

===Area associations===
[[Image:World Athletics map.svg|thumb|Map of world with six area associations]]
World Athletics has a total of 214 member federations divided into 6 area associations.<ref>{{cite web |title=IAAF National Member Federations |url=http://www.iaaf.org/about-iaaf/structure/member-federations |publisher=IAAF.org |access-date=8 August 2015 |archive-date=16 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150816090456/http://www.iaaf.org/about-iaaf/structure/member-federations |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iaaf.org/mm/Document/imported/9589.pdf |title=The organisational framework for athlet |access-date=20 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100525092736/http://www.iaaf.org/mm/Document/imported/9589.pdf |archive-date=25 May 2010  }}. IAAF.</ref>

:{{Color box|#FA9646|border=darkgray}} AAA&nbsp;– [[Asian Athletics Association]] in Asia
:{{Color box|#C8D73C|border=darkgray}} CAA&nbsp;– [[Confederation of African Athletics]] in Africa
:{{Color box|#DC6E6E|border=darkgray}} CONSUDATLE&nbsp;– [[CONSUDATLE|Confederación Sudamericana de Atletismo]] in [[South America]]
:{{Color box|#468CC8|border=darkgray}} EAA&nbsp;– [[European Athletic Association]] in Europe
:{{Color box|#5AB464|border=darkgray}} NACAC&nbsp;– [[North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association]] in [[North America]]
:{{Color box|#A082BE|border=darkgray}} OAA&nbsp;– [[Oceania Athletics Association]] in [[Oceania]]
{{National members of the International Association of Athletics Federations}}

===Partner organisations===
As of 1 November 2015:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.iaaf.org/download/download?filename=89ed4cba-6b5e-49fe-a43e-9f5487b77a84.pdf |title=IAAF Competition Rules 2016-2017 |page=315 |publisher=International Association of Athletics Federations |date=1 November 2015 |access-date=29 October 2017 |archive-date=23 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160323100248/http://www.iaaf.org/download/download?filename=89ed4cba-6b5e-49fe-a43e-9f5487b77a84.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> 
* [[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)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.iaaf.org/news/press-release/iaaf-official-world-rankings|title=IAAF: Official IAAF world rankings first step in fundamental changes in athletics{{!}} News {{!}} iaaf.org|website=iaaf.org|access-date=8 February 2018|archive-date=9 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190409041936/https://www.iaaf.org/news/press-release/iaaf-official-world-rankings|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Rules and regulations==
===Age===
To allow athletes of different ages to compete against athletes of similar ability, several age categories are maintained. The open class of competition without age limit is defined as "senior". For younger athletes, World Athletics organises events for [[under-20 athletics|under-20 athletes]] (athletes aged 18 or 19 years on 31 December of the year of the competition) as well as [[under-18 athletics|under-18 athletes]] (athletes aged 16 or 17 years on 31 December of the year of the competition), historically referred to as "junior" and "youth" age groups, respectively.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/basic-information-guide-2011-iaaf-world-cro |title=Basic Information Guide: 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, Punta Umbria, Spain |publisher=IAAF |date=10 September 2010 |access-date=31 January 2013 |archive-date=3 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103000549/http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/basic-information-guide-2011-iaaf-world-cro |url-status=live }}</ref> Age-group competitions over the age of 35 are organised by [[World Masters Athletics]] and are divided into five-year groupings.

===Doping===
The organisation is a signatory to the [[World Anti-Doping Agency]]'s World Anti-Doping Code and applies sanctions to athletes, coaches and other sportspeople who breach the code through doping or impeding any anti-doping actions.<ref>[https://www.athleticsintegrity.org/downloads/pdfs/know-the-rules/en/IAAF_Anti_Doping_Rules.pdf IAAF Anti-Doping Rules]. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170630202654/https://www.athleticsintegrity.org/downloads/pdfs/know-the-rules/en/IAAF_Anti_Doping_Rules.pdf |date=30 June 2017 }}. IAAF. Retrieved 20 October 2019.</ref> [[Doping in sport|Doping]] is still a serious issue in world [[Sport of athletics|athletics]] due to the increased use of banned substances by athletes to improve their athletic performance.<ref>{{Cite news|date=14 July 2021|title=Sport is still rife with doping|newspaper=The Economist|url=https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2021/07/14/sport-is-still-rife-with-doping|access-date=26 October 2021|issn=0013-0613|archive-date=26 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026051818/https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2021/07/14/sport-is-still-rife-with-doping|url-status=live}}</ref> To address the problem, athletes participating in sports are required to sign the [[World Anti-Doping Agency]] code and are subjected to random urine or blood samples testing, leading to penalties like game suspension, or lifetime ban for violating code.<ref>{{Cite web|title=DOPING {{!}} Sports Medicine Today|url=https://www.sportsmedtoday.com/doping-va-119.htm|access-date=26 October 2021|website=www.sportsmedtoday.com|archive-date=26 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026051821/https://www.sportsmedtoday.com/doping-va-119.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Sex===
{{main|Testosterone regulations in women's athletics}}
International level athletics competitions are mostly divided by sex and World Athletics applies eligibility rules for the women's category. World Athletics has regulations for [[intersex]] and [[transgender]] athletes. The [[differences of sex development]] (DSD) regulations apply to athletes who are legally female or intersex and have certain [[physiology]]. DSD athletes who are legally female or intersex are subject to specific rules if they have [[XY sex-determination system|XY male chromosomes]], [[testes]] rather than [[ovaries]], circulating testosterone in the typical male range (7.7 to 29.4 nmol/L), and are [[Androgen insensitivity syndrome|androgen-sensitive]] so that their bodies make use of that testosterone. World Athletics requires any such athlete to reduce their blood testosterone level to 5 nmol/L or lower for a six-month period before becoming eligible for international competition.<ref>[https://www.iaaf.org/news/press-release/questions-answers-iaaf-female-eligibility-reg IAAF publishes briefing notes and Q&A on Female Eligibility Regulations] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190824090918/https://www.iaaf.org/news/press-release/questions-answers-iaaf-female-eligibility-reg |date=24 August 2019 }}. IAAF (7 May 2019). Retrieved 2019-10-20.</ref>

The rules have been challenged by affected athletes in the [[Court of Arbitration for Sport]] (CAS), though no athlete has done so successfully. In May 2019, CAS upheld the rules on the basis that discrimination against the minority of DSD athletes was proportional as a method of preserving access to the female category to a much larger majority of women without DSDs.<ref>{{cite web |last=Bull |first=Andy |date=1 May 2019 |url=https://www.iaaf.org/news/press-release/questions-answers-iaaf-female-eligibility-reg |title=Cas tried to provide a clear verdict on Caster Semenya but left a tangled mess |work=The Guardian |access-date=20 October 2019 |archive-date=24 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190824090918/https://www.iaaf.org/news/press-release/questions-answers-iaaf-female-eligibility-reg |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2023, World Athletics tightened their regulations further, excluding transgender women who have gone through male puberty from competing in the female category. The new regulations also reduced the testosterone limit for androgen-sensitive XY DSD athletes to 2.5 nmol/L and extended the limit to apply to all women's events, where it had previously only applied to track events of distances between 400m and one mile. World Athletics president Sebastian Coe described this as "decisive action to protect the female category in our sport".<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2023-03-24|date=2023-03-24|title=World Athletics excludes transgender women from female competition, Lord Coe confirms|url=https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/athletics/news/29175/12840994/world-athletics-excludes-transgender-women-from-womens-competition-lord-coe-confirms|website=Sky Sports|archive-date=23 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323192820/https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/athletics/news/29175/12840994/world-athletics-excludes-transgender-women-from-womens-competition-lord-coe-confirms|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Equipment===
Ban on clothing, shoes and other equipment that give an unfair advantage. Such as a max stack height of 40mm and limiting shoes to one rigid plate per shoe for marathons.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-01-31 |title=World Athletics has stepped in to control a running shoe arms race. Here's why |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-01/world-athletics-tightens-regulations-around-running-shoes/11916716 |access-date=2025-11-04 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref>

==Certified athletic facilities==
World Athletics provides approval certificates to venues of athletic facilities: Class 1, Class 2 and Indoor.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Certification System Procedures|url=https://www.worldathletics.org/download/download?filename=26a6ea10-a1be-4f6e-8389-0126b1eb6595.pdf&urlslug=CERTIFICATION%20PROCEDURES%20-%20World%20Athletics%20Certification%20System%20Procedures|url-status=live|website=World Athletics|access-date=24 August 2021|archive-date=23 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210823042526/https://worldathletics.org/download/download?filename=26a6ea10-a1be-4f6e-8389-0126b1eb6595.pdf&urlslug=CERTIFICATION%20PROCEDURES%20-%20World%20Athletics%20Certification%20System%20Procedures}}</ref> To receive certification, venues are required to submit measurement reports of their track and field facilities.

Class 1 venues are fully certified along with in-situ tests of the actual synthetic track surface, whilst Class 2 venues only ensures that the synthetic surface has a valid Product Certificate (from an accredited synthetic track surface manufacturer) and the facility conforms to the stringent requirements for accurate measurement contained in World Athletics Rules and Regulations.

==Competitions==
World Athletics organizes many major athletics competitions worldwide.

===World Athletics Series===
[[File:Berlin 2009 - Olympiastadion.JPG|thumb|The [[World Athletics Championships]] is the foremost athletics competition held by the governing body.]]

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Competition
!Sport
!Frequency
!First held
!Last held
|-
|[[World Athletics Championships]]<sup>†</sup>
|Outdoor athletics
|Biennial
|align=center|1983
|align=center|Ongoing
|-
|[[World Athletics Indoor Championships]]
|Indoor track and field
|Biennial
|align=center|1985
|align=center|Ongoing
|-
|[[World Athletics Cross Country Championships]]
|Cross country running
|Biennial
|align=center|1973
|align=center|Ongoing
|-
|[[World Athletics Road Running Championships]]<sup>‡</sup>
|Half marathon, [[5K run]], [[mile run]]
|Biennial
|align=center|1992
|align=center|Ongoing
|-
|[[World Athletics U20 Championships]]<sup>††</sup>
|Outdoor track and field
|Biennial
|align=center|1986
|align=center|Ongoing
|-
|[[World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships]]<sup>†††</sup>
|Racewalking
|Biennial
|align=center|1961
|align=center|Ongoing
|-
|[[World Athletics Relays]]
|Outdoor track relays
|Biennial
|align=center|2014<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Athletics Ultimate Championship: a new global championship for the sport {{!}} News {{!}} TBC 26 {{!}} World Athletics Ultimate Championships |url=https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-ultimate-championship/2026/news/press-releases/world-athletics-ultimate-championship |access-date=2024-06-03 |website=worldathletics.org}}</ref>
|align=center|Ongoing
|-
|[[World Athletics Ultimate Championships]]
|Outdoor track and field
|Biennial
|align=center|2026
|align=center|Ongoing
|-
|World Athletics Trail and Mountain Running Championships
|Trail and mountain running
|Biennial
|align=center|2021<ref>[https://www.iaaf.org/news/press-release/iaaf-itra-wmra-new-partnership IAAF, ITRA and WMRA forge new partnership to host combined trail and mountain running world championships] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180901181757/https://www.iaaf.org/news/press-release/iaaf-itra-wmra-new-partnership |date=1 September 2018 }}. IAAF (28 August 2018). Retrieved 2019-09-25.</ref>
|align=center|Ongoing
|-
|[[IAAF Continental Cup]]<sup>††††</sup>
|Outdoor track and field
|Quadrennial
|align=center|1977
|align=center|2018
|-
|[[IAAF World Youth Championships in Athletics|IAAF World U18 Championships in Athletics]]
|Outdoor track and field
|Biennial
|align=center|1999
|align=center|2017
|-
|[[IAAF World Marathon Cup]]
|Marathon
|Biennial
|align=center|1985
|align=center|2011
|-
|[[IAAF World Road Relay Championships]]
|[[Ekiden]]
|Biennial
|align=center|1986
|align=center|1998
|-
|[[IAAF World Women's Road Race Championships]]
|[[10K run]]/[[15K run]]
|Annual
|align=center|1983
|align=center|1991
|}

:<sup>†</sup> Formerly IAAF World Championships in Athletics
:<sup>‡</sup> Known as the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships before 2023, except for in 2006 and 2007 when it was known as the IAAF World Road Running Championships, with a 20&nbsp;km race in 2006
:<sup>††</sup> Formerly IAAF World Junior Championships
:<sup>†††</sup> Formerly IAAF World Race Walking Cup
:<sup>††††</sup> Formerly IAAF World Cup

===One-day events===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center; float:right"
|-
!Competition
!Sport
!First held
!Last held
|-
|align=left|[[Diamond League]] || Outdoor track and field || 2010 || Ongoing
|-
|align=left|[[World Athletics Continental Tour]] || Outdoor track and field || 2020 || Ongoing
|-
|align=left|[[World Athletics Indoor Tour]] || Indoor track and field || 2016 || Ongoing
|-
|align=left|[[World Athletics Label Road Races]]|| Road running || 2008 || Ongoing
|-
|align=left|[[World Athletics Cross Country Tour]]|| Cross country || 2021 || Ongoing
|-
|align=left|[[World Athletics Combined Events Tour]]|| Decathlon/heptathlon || 1998 || Ongoing
|-
|align=left|[[World Athletics Race Walking Tour]]|| Racewalking || 2003 || Ongoing
|-
|align=left|[[World Athletics Cross Country Permit]]|| Cross country || 1999 || 2021
|-
|align=left|[[IAAF Hammer Throw Challenge]] || Hammer throw || 2010 || 2019
<!-- |-
|align=left|[[WMRA World Cup]] || Mountain running || 1997 || Ongoing -->
|-
|align=left|[[IAAF World Challenge]] || Outdoor track and field || 2010 || 2019
|-
|align=left|[[IAAF Indoor Permit Meetings]] || Indoor track and field || 1997 || 2015
|-
|align=left|[[IAAF Race Walking Challenge Final]] || Racewalking || 2007 || 2012
|-
|align=left|[[IAAF World Athletics Tour]] || Outdoor track and field || 2006 || 2009
|-
|align=left|[[IAAF Golden League]] || Outdoor track and field || 1998 || 2009
|-
|align=left|[[IAAF Super Grand Prix]] || Outdoor track and field || 2003 || 2009
|-
|align=left|[[IAAF Grand Prix]] || Outdoor track and field || 1985 || 2009
|-
|align=left|[[IAAF World Athletics Final]] || Outdoor track and field || 2003 || 2009
|-
|align=left|[[IAAF World Outdoor Meetings]] || Outdoor track and field || 2003 || 2006
|-
|align=left|[[IAAF Grand Prix Final]] || Outdoor track and field || 1985 || 2002
|-
|align=left|[[IAAF World Cross Challenge]] || Cross country || 1990 || 2000
|- 
|align=left|[[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 [[IAAF Golden Events|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.<ref name=GP>[http://www.gbrathletics.com/ic/gp.htm Grand Prix] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120806170842/http://www.gbrathletics.com/ic/gp.htm |date=6 August 2012 }}. GBR Athletics. Retrieved 20 October 2019.</ref> The [[IAAF World Cross Challenge]] followed in 1990 and began an annual series for [[cross country running]].<ref>[http://www.gbrathletics.com/ic/xc.htm World Cross Challenge] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916042438/http://www.gbrathletics.com/ic/xc.htm |date=16 September 2018 }}. GBR Athletics. Retrieved 20 October 2019.</ref> 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,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/19970223033540/http://www.iaaf.org/competition/calendar97/5.html Indoor Permit Meetings 1997]. IAAF (archived). Retrieved 20 October 2019.</ref> and in 1998 decathletes and heptathletes found seasonal support with the creation of the [[IAAF Combined Events Challenge]].<ref name=GP/> The World Cross Challenge was disbanded in 2000 and cross country reverted to a permit format via the [[IAAF Cross Country Permit Meetings]].<ref>[https://www.iaaf.org/Competitions/iaaf-cross-country-permit/calendar/1999 1999 IAAF Cross Country Permit Meetings] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190506235213/https://www.iaaf.org/Competitions/iaaf-cross-country-permit/calendar/1999 |date=6 May 2019 }}. IAAF. Retrieved 20 October 2019.</ref> The [[IAAF Race Walking Challenge]] was initiated in 2003 to provide a seasonal calendar for racewalking.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20031003062042/http://www.iaaf.org/WRC03/results/year=2003/event=WRC/index.html IAAF World Race Walking Challenge]. IAAF (archived). Retrieved 20 October 2019.</ref>

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]].<ref>[http://www.gbrathletics.com/ic/waf.htm World Athletics Final] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191025042904/http://www.gbrathletics.com/ic/waf.htm |date=25 October 2019 }}. GBR Athletics. Retrieved 20 October 2019.</ref> 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).<ref>Turner, Chris (2005). [http://www.aipsmedia.com/index.php?page=news&cod=199&tp=n IAAF - World Athletics Tour] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916042902/http://www.aipsmedia.com/index.php?page=news&cod=199&tp=n |date=16 September 2018 }}. International Sports Press Association. Retrieved on 11 September 2009.</ref> With World Athletics having recognised the sport of [[mountain running]] in 2002,<ref>[https://www.iaaf.org/disciplines/mountain-running/mountain-running Mountain Running] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180605190415/https://www.iaaf.org/disciplines/mountain-running/mountain-running |date=5 June 2018 }}. IAAF. Retrieved 20 October 2019.</ref> the annual [[WMRA World Cup]] meetings received official sanctioning in 2006, organised under [[World Mountain Running Association]].<ref>[http://www.wmra.ch/files/results/grand_prix/GP-2006-final.pdf WMRA Grand Prix 2006]. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150122092913/http://www.wmra.ch/files/results/grand_prix/GP-2006-final.pdf |date=22 January 2015 }}. WMRA. Retrieved on 24 March 2015.</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://iaafmedia.s3.amazonaws.com/competitioninfo/c2127e60-9aa4-40d9-bd90-43fd7db3d607.pdf |title=IAAF Road Race Labels: Regulations 2014 |publisher=International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) |access-date=4 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140105050815/https://iaafmedia.s3.amazonaws.com/competitioninfo/c2127e60-9aa4-40d9-bd90-43fd7db3d607.pdf |archive-date=5 January 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-label-road-races/calendar/2010 |title=Calendar: 2010 |publisher=IAAF |access-date=4 January 2014 |archive-date=24 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924164431/http://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-label-road-races/calendar/2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> The Race Walking Challenge Final was removed from the racewalking schedule after 2012, as the series focused on international championship performances.<ref>[https://www.iaaf.org/Competitions/iaaf-race-walking-challenge/calendar/2013 2013 IAAF Race Walking Challenge] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191020141126/https://www.iaaf.org/Competitions/iaaf-race-walking-challenge/calendar/2013 |date=20 October 2019 }}. IAAF. Retrieved 19 October 2019.</ref> In 2016, the [[IAAF World Indoor Tour]] was introduced as a replacement of the Indoor Permit Meetings series.<ref>{{cite web | title=IAAF to launch World Indoor Tour | work=IAAF | url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/iaaf-news/world-indoor-tour | access-date=8 December 2015 | date=8 December 2015 | archive-date=18 April 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418143436/https://www.iaaf.org/news/iaaf-news/world-indoor-tour | url-status=live }}</ref>

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]].<ref>Rowbottom, Mike (7 October 2019). [https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1085615/mike-rowbottom-discus-iaaf Mike Rowbottom: New arguments for an ancient event - discus makes a throw for IAAF Diamond League survival] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191008183244/https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1085615/mike-rowbottom-discus-iaaf |date=8 October 2019 }}. Inside the Games. Retrieved 2019-10-20.</ref><ref>[https://www.iaaf.org/news/press-release/wanda-group-title-sponsor-for-diamond-league IAAF announces Wanda Group in landmark title sponsorship of Diamond League] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190926220050/https://www.iaaf.org/news/press-release/wanda-group-title-sponsor-for-diamond-league |date=26 September 2019 }}. IAAF (25 September 2019). Retrieved 2019-10-20.</ref>

==Awards==
The organisation hosts the annual World Athletics Awards, formerly the World Athletics Gala until 2017, at the end of each year to recognise the achievements of athletes and other people involved in the sport. Members may also be inducted into the [[IAAF Hall of Fame]] as part of the ceremony. The following awards are given:<ref>[https://www.iaaf.org/awards/news/iaaf-athletics-awards-2018-how-to-follow IAAF Athletics Awards 2018: Ready, set, go!] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191020214928/https://www.iaaf.org/awards/news/iaaf-athletics-awards-2018-how-to-follow |date=20 October 2019 }}. IAAF (1 December 2018). Retrieved 2019-10-20.</ref><ref>[https://www.iaaf.org/hosting/news/iaaf-council-gala-monaco Athletics world focuses on Monaco for the coming week] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191020214929/https://www.iaaf.org/hosting/news/iaaf-council-gala-monaco |date=20 October 2019 }}. IAAF (17 November 2014). Retrieved 2019-10-20.</ref> 

*[[World Athlete of the Year|Male Athlete of the Year]]
*[[World Athlete of the Year|Female Athlete of the Year]]
*Male Rising Star Award
*Female Rising Star Award
*Coaching Achievement Award
*Distinguished Career Award
*Women's Award
*President's Award
*Athletics Photograph of the Year

Separately, the World Athletics Heritage Plaque award was launched in Dec 2018. The plaque is a location-based recognition that can be awarded in five different and broad overlapping categories: city, competition, legend, landmark, culture.<ref>{{Cite web |title=European Athletics |url=https://www.european-athletics.com/news/coe-launches-iaaf-world-athletics-heritage-plaque-award |access-date=2024-12-04 |website=www.european-athletics.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Criteria {{!}} Plaque {{!}} Heritage {{!}} World Athletics |url=https://worldathletics.org/heritage/plaque/criteria |access-date=2024-12-04 |website=worldathletics.org}}</ref> Each year the World Athletics will periodically award plaques taking advantage of appropriate moments in the international athletics calendar to make those announcements.

==Doping controversy==
{{main|Doping in Russia}}
In 2015, a [[whistleblower]] leaked World Athletics' blood test records from major competitions. The records revealed that, between 2001 and 2012, athletes with suspicious drug test results won a third of the medals in endurance events at the Olympics and World Championships—a total of 146 medals including 55 golds—but the World Athletics caught none of them.<ref name=bbc0802>{{cite news
|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/33749208
|title=Leaked IAAF Doping Files: WADA 'Very Alarmed' by Allegations
|work=BBC Sport: Athletics
|date=2 August 2015
|access-date=21 November 2015
|last=Roan
|first=Dan
|archive-date=12 November 2015
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151112090118/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/athletics/33749208
|url-status=live
}}</ref> After reviewing the results, Robin Parisotto, a scientist and leading "anti-doping" expert, said, "Never have I seen such an alarmingly abnormal set of blood values. So many athletes appear to have doped with impunity, and it is damning that the IAAF appears to have idly sat by and let this happen."<ref name=bbc0802/> Craig Reedie, president of the [[World Anti-Doping Agency]] (WADA), said his organisation was "very disturbed by these new allegations ... which will, once again, shake the foundation of clean athletes worldwide", and that its "independent commission will investigate the claims".<ref name=bbc0802/>

Around the same time, the [[University of Tübingen]] in Germany claimed that World Athletics suppressed publication of a 2011 report in which "[h]undreds of athletes", as many as a third of the world's top athletes, "admitted violating anti-doping rules".<ref name=bbc0816>{{cite news
|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/33948924
|title=IAAF Accused of Suppressing Athletes' Doping Study
|work=BBC Sport: Athletics
|date=16 August 2015
|access-date=21 November 2015
|archive-date=12 November 2015
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151112090118/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/athletics/33948924
|url-status=live
}}</ref>

[[File:Vladimir Putin and Lamine Diack, 2011.jpg|thumb|Vladimir Putin and Lamine Diack]]
On 1 November 2015, former World Athletics president [[Lamine Diack]] was arrested in France and is under investigation on suspicion of corruption and money laundering.<ref name="SI 2015-11-04"/><ref name="BBC News Interpol 9 November 2015">{{cite web
|title= Athletics doping: Interpol to co-ordinate probe
|url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34769661
|author= <!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->
|date= 9 November 2015
|website= BBC News
|access-date= 19 November 2015
|archive-date= 19 November 2015
|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151119103653/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34769661
|url-status= live
}}</ref> Diack allegedly accepted "$1.2 million from the [[All-Russia Athletic Federation|Russian athletics federation]] to cover up the positive doping tests of at least six Russian athletes in 2011."<ref name="SI 2015-11-04">{{cite magazine
|url=https://www.si.com/more-sports/2015/11/04/former-iaaf-president-criminal-investigation-doping-cover-up
|title=Former IAAF President Under Criminal Investigation for Doping Cover-Up
|date=4 November 2015
|magazine=Sports Illustrated
|access-date=21 November 2015
|archive-date=17 November 2015
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117170612/http://www.si.com/more-sports/2015/11/04/former-iaaf-president-criminal-investigation-doping-cover-up
|url-status=live
}}</ref> The IOC provisionally suspended Diack,<ref>{{cite web|title = IOC provisionally suspends Lamine Diack|url = https://sports.yahoo.com/news/ioc-provisionally-suspends-lamine-diack-174736834--spt.html;_ylt=A0LEVxDNLkJW_zQAF81XNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEyYW05bXRzBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDQjEyNTNfMQRzZWMDc2M-|website = Yahoo Sports|accessdate = 10 November 2015|archive-date = 9 November 2018|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181109234551/https://sports.yahoo.com/news/ioc-provisionally-suspends-lamine-diack-174736834--spt.html;_ylt=A0LEVxDNLkJW_zQAF81XNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEyYW05bXRzBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDQjEyNTNfMQRzZWMDc2M-|url-status = dead}}</ref> and he resigned his position as an IOC Honorary Member.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/nov/11/lamine-diack-ioc-resigns |title=Former IAAF president Lamine Diack resigns as honorary IOC member |work=The Guardian |date=11 November 2015 |accessdate=15 January 2016 |archive-date=26 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160126044558/http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/nov/11/lamine-diack-ioc-resigns |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2016, the [[World Anti-Doping Agency]] reported that with his influence,<ref name="WADA 10">{{cite web |date=14 January 2016 |title=The Independent Commission Report #2 (page 10) |url=https://wada-main-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/resources/files/wada_independent_commission_report_2_2016_en.pdf |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160121075247/https://wada-main-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/resources/files/wada_independent_commission_report_2_2016_en.pdf |archivedate=21 January 2016 |accessdate=15 January 2016 |publisher=World Anti-Doping Agency}}</ref> Diack was able to install two of his sons and a friend into positions that exerted influence over the IAAF.<ref name="WADA 10" /> The report says that Lamine Diack "was responsible for organizing and enabling the conspiracy and corruption that took place in the IAAF."<ref name="WADA 10" /> In 2018, Diack was handed an additional charge of "breach of trust" by French prosecutors.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1069975/former-iaaf-president-diack-facing-additional-breach-of-trust-charges-in-france |title=Former IAAF President Diack facing additional "breach of trust" charges in France |work=Inside the Games |date=15 September 2018 |accessdate=9 November 2018 |archive-date=9 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181109193741/https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1069975/former-iaaf-president-diack-facing-additional-breach-of-trust-charges-in-france |url-status=live }}</ref> On 18 June 2020, the trial of Diack and five other people, including his son, concluded. Diack was sentenced to jail for four years, two of them suspended.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/54176537|title=Lamine Diack: Former IAAF head found guilty of corruption and jailed|author=|work=BBC Sport|date=16 September 2020|publisher=|accessdate=16 September 2020|archive-date=17 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917001231/https://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/54176537|url-status=live}}</ref>

In November 2015, WADA published its report, which found "systemic failures" in the World Athletics had prevented an "effective" anti-doping programme and concluded that [[Russia]] should be banned from competing in international competitions because of its athletes' test results.<ref name="BBC News 9 November 2015">{{cite web
|title= Athletics Doping: WADA Report Calls for Russia Ban
|url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/athletics/34765357
|author= <!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->
|date= 9 November 2015
|work= BBC Sport: Athletics
|access-date= 21 November 2015
|archive-date= 12 November 2015
|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151112074529/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/athletics/34765357
|url-status= dead
}}</ref> The report continued that "the World Athletics allowed the conduct to occur and must accept its responsibility" and that "corruption was embedded" in the organization.<ref name="bbc.co.uk">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/35348906|title=IAAF scandal worse than Fifa's, says US great Michael Johnson|work=BBC Sport|date=10 December 2017|access-date=13 February 2018|archive-date=23 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180223184544/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/35348906|url-status=live}}</ref>

In January 2016, as a result of the doping scandal and WADA's report, the World Athletics' biggest sponsor, [[Adidas]], announced that it was ending its sponsorship deal with the World Athletics four years early. The BBC reported that as a result World Athletics would lose $33 million (£23 million) worth of revenue. The 11-year sponsorship deal with Adidas was due to run until 2019.<ref name="BBC News 24 January 2016">{{cite web
 |title        = Adidas to end IAAF sponsorship deal early in wake of doping crisis
 |url          = https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/35385415
 |author       = Mark Daly and Dan Roan
 |date         = 24 January 2016
 |work         = BBC Sport: Athletics
 |access-date  = 24 January 2016
 |archive-date = 24 January 2016
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20160124231205/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/35385415
 |url-status   = live
}}</ref> World-record holding sprinter [[Michael Johnson (sprinter)|Michael Johnson]] described the scandal as more serious than that faced by [[FIFA]].<ref name="bbc.co.uk"/>
In February 2016, [[Nestlé]] announced that it was ending its World Athletics sponsorship.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-35546032|title=Nestle ends IAAF sponsorship deal|work=BBC News|date=10 February 2016|access-date=21 June 2018|archive-date=27 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180527230944/http://www.bbc.com/news/business-35546032|url-status=live}}</ref>

In June 2016, following a meeting of the IAAF's ruling council, World Athletics upheld its ban on Russia's track and field team from entering the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.<ref name="Associated Press">{{cite web |title= IAAF upholds bans on Russian athletes for Rio Games |url= http://www.bigstory.ap.org/article/9c73820f947f47d0943d4304e7126ec5/iaaf-convenes-meeting-whether-readmit-russian-athletes |author= Nesha Starcevic and Stephen Wilson |date= 17 June 2016 |access-date= 17 June 2016 |archive-date= 17 June 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160617171817/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/9c73820f947f47d0943d4304e7126ec5/iaaf-convenes-meeting-whether-readmit-russian-athletes |url-status= live }}</ref>
In February 2017, All-Russia Athletic Federation was disqualified by decision of the World Athletics Council for eight years for the creation of a doping system.

World Athletics has since resisted demands that Russia be re-instated, on the basis that the country repeatedly failed to satisfy all the agreed criteria. The decision was supported by [[Sean Ingle]] of ''[[The Guardian]]'' who wrote in a column that World Athletics should maintain their ban on Russia through the [[2016 Summer Olympics|2016 Olympics in Rio]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/mar/06/iaaf-russia-athletes-banned|title=Why the IAAF must ensure Russia remains banned for Rio Olympics|last=Ingle|first=Sean|date=6 March 2016|work=The Guardian|access-date=14 February 2019|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|archive-date=25 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190425200623/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/mar/06/iaaf-russia-athletes-banned|url-status=live}}</ref> That meant Russian athletes could not compete at all major events in the following years, including the [[2017 World Championships in Athletics|2017 IAAF World Championships in London]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/mar/01/sebastian-coe-russia-iaaf-hardball-athletics-doping-scandal|title=Sebastian Coe tells Russia: IAAF will still play hardball despite IOC decision|last=Ingle|first=Sean|date=1 March 2018|work=The Guardian|access-date=14 February 2019|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|archive-date=14 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214220721/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/mar/01/sebastian-coe-russia-iaaf-hardball-athletics-doping-scandal|url-status=live}}</ref> and the [[2018 European Athletics Championships|2018 European Championships in Berlin]]. In September 2018, World Athletics faced a legal challenge by Russia to overturn the suspension after the reinstatement of the [[Russian Anti-Doping Agency]], but [[Hugo Lowell]] of the [[I (British newspaper)|''i newspaper'']] reported the country's status would not change.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://inews.co.uk/sport/russian-athletics-to-remain-in-wilderness-despite-wada-ruling/|title=Russian athletics to remain in wilderness despite Wada ruling|last=Lowell|first=Hugo|date=20 September 2018|website=inews.co.uk|language=en-GB|access-date=14 February 2019|archive-date=12 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212070624/https://inews.co.uk/sport/russian-athletics-to-remain-in-wilderness-despite-wada-ruling/|url-status=live}}</ref> The legal case was later dropped.

==Russian suspension==
World Athletics was the first international sporting body to suspend 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.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://worldathletics.org/news/press-releases/world-athletics-council-sanctions-russia-and-belarus|title=World Athletics Council sanctions Russia and Belarus &#124; press-releases |date=1 Mar 2022 |website=World Athletics|access-date=11 March 2022|archive-date=11 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220311073137/https://www.worldathletics.org/news/press-releases/world-athletics-council-sanctions-russia-and-belarus|url-status=live}}</ref> However, Russian athletes were eligible to compete pursuant to the [[Authorised Neutral Athlete]] (ANA) process.<ref name="auto1"/> 

In 2022, though, World Athletics imposed sanctions against the Member Federations of Russia and Belarus because of the [[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.<ref name="auto1"/> 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.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://worldathletics.org/news/press-releases/sanctions-applied-belarus-federation |date=10 Mar 2022 |title=Sanctions applied to Belarus Federation &#124; press-releases |website=World Athletics|access-date=11 March 2022|archive-date=11 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220311052636/https://www.worldathletics.org/news/press-releases/sanctions-applied-belarus-federation|url-status=live}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{portal|Sport of athletics}}
* [[List of doping cases in athletics]]
* [[List of eligibility transfers in athletics]]
* [[World Athletics Rankings]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}

{{International athletics}}
{{International Sports Federations}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:International Association Of Athletics Federations}}
[[Category:World Athletics| ]]
[[Category:Sport of athletics governing bodies]]
[[Category:Sports organizations established in 1912]]
[[Category:1912 establishments in Sweden]]
[[Category:Sports organisations of Monaco]]
[[Category:Association of Summer Olympic International Federations|athletics]]
[[Category:International organisations based in Monaco]]