IAAF Versus THE ATHLETICS ASSOCIATION
Sebastian Coe’s second term as the President of IAAF – International Association of Athletics Federation has commenced with “Greed taking precedence over the love of athletics / athletes”. Remember the disastrous 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha with empty stadium greeting renowned world athletes? Women marathoners undergoing severe heat and high temperatures to collapse half way or gave up running to put their career and health in peril. This was just the beginning with more to come from the IAAF’s President.
Top women sprinters’ intimate areas were exposed with IAAF’s incorporating high-tech new cameras in starting blocks… creating uneasiness for the women sprinters, who voiced their concerns in Doha. Remember, how spectators who paid for the tickets were not allowed entry inside the stadium, because the entry was opened free-for-all to somehow fill the empty Khalifa stadium. Doha’s culture is not familiar to athletics, yet the IAAF President awarded the prestigious World Championships to Doha, all because of billions of dollars of the Emirs.
The 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha was a total disaster in multiple aspects, thanks to Sebastian Coe. When 28 women marathoners dropped from the race due to severe heat and high temperature, it was really awful to see Lord Coe justifying conducting the midnight marathon run. Even the regular track and field events were held late evening in front of empty stadium and sparse crowds. Many top athletes were vocal about how the IAAF conducted the World Championships in such an awful manner to endanger top athletes of the world.
DIAMOND LEAGUE 2020 SUCCUMBS TO GREED
Greed takes over athletes’ welfare and professional career as IAAF declared axing of several important events from the 2020 Diamond League, even when they signed the largest sponsorship deal in athletics’ history with Chinese multinational conglomerate Wanda Group’s Wanda Sports. The IAAF announced Wanda Group as the title partner of the Diamond League series from the year 2020 for a period of ten years. The deal is reported to be worth more than $100 million.
Wanda Sports – the Beijing-based Sports asset management and events firm has restricted IAAF’s control over Diamond League by reducing track and field events from 32 to just 24 from the year 2020. Prominent disciplines like the 200m, Discuss Throw, Triple Jump and 3000m Steeple Chase will not be featuring any more in Diamond League meets from 2020 to fit the 90-minute broadcasting.
As per the IAAF’s press release dated 6th of November 2019, Diamond League Disciplines 2020 – 12 male and 12 female – will compete in 100m, 100m/110m hurdles, 400m, 400m hurdles, 800m, 1500m, 3000m, Long Jump, High Jump, Pole Vault, Javelin and Shot Put. A total of 14 meetings and a final will be competed for in the 2020 Diamond League. Wanda Group’s agency ‘Infront’ will take over the international media rights from rivals IMG in the year 2025 as per the latest arrangement.
IAAF President Sebastian Coe, who stated, “As a leading marathon organizer in our fastest-growing market China, Wanda Sports Group is a perfect fit for athletics. Wanda shares our vision for the future of athletics and this partnership will be fundamental in helping our sport grow over the next decade, both in China and around the world.” While Coe stated ‘this partnership will be fundamental in helping our sport grow over the next decade, both in China and around the world’ – the IAAF and Wanda Sports have axed as many as 4 interesting disciplines as mentioned above.
TOP ATHLETES ARE ANGRY WITH IAAF
The IAAF’s move has received international criticism from top athletes like current 200m World Champion Noah Lyles, Women’s 3000m Steeple Chase World Record holder Beatrice Chepkoech, reigning 3,000m Steeple Chase World Champion Conseslus Kipruto, 200m World Champion Dina Asher-Smith, two-time World Indoor Triple Jump Champion Will Claye, two time 200m World Champion Dutch ace sprinter Dafne Schippers, British sprinter Adam Gemili could not hide his annoyance and Triple Jump reigning Olympic and current World Champion Christian Taylor just to name a few.
It is indeed fascinating to note that the IAAF President and Directors have sold their consciences to benefit their personal greed rather than to protect athletes’ interest to inspire the world at large. The 200m, 3000m Steeple Chase, Triple Jump and Discuss Throw will not feature in the Diamond League Final from next year. The IAAF is facing an angry backlash from current World Champions from various countries.
American sprinter Noah Lyles reacted on twitter – “Wow, no 200m”. Lyles is touted to break Usain Bolt’s 200m World Record in the coming season. Dutch sprinter Dafne Schippers stated, “Latest League research has shown that the 200m is one of the most popular disciplines. Seriously?”
Sebastian Coe may try to justify IAAF’s move stating, “Our objective is to create a faster-paced, more exciting league that will be the showcase for our sport.” The fact cannot be ruled out that Wanda Sports has bought the IAAF with $100 million plus sponsorship deals. The exact amount has not been disclosed by the IAAF President Coe, which reveals the intent of the international athletics body. British distance runner Jess Judd described the deal aptly stating, “It is a kick in the teeth for endurance.”
THE ATHLETICS ASSOCIATION
The reigning Olympic and current Triple Jump World Champion Christian Taylor says, “It's time for real change. I refuse to sit back any longer.” IAAF’s second-rate move to scrap the 200m, 3000m Steeple Chase, Discuss Throw and Triple Jump disciplines from the Diamond League final from 2020 to please Chinese multinational conglomerate Wanda Group indicates there is more behind the scenes. The American athlete is four-time Triple Jump World Champion and has launched ‘The Athletics Association’ to support professional athletes’ rights.
Christian Taylor posted the launch of ‘The Athletics Association’ on twitter stating – “I am incredibly disappointed that the IAAF / World Athletics and the Diamond League have decided to remove more events from the program for 2020. Our sport is about unity and diversity and separating the events can only damage this sport we all love.
For some time now I have been in discussion with other elite track and field athletes and we have been talking about how we can have a greater say in the future of our sport.
Today, I am announcing the formation of The Athletics Association – an association for all professional track and field athletes around the world.
We will fight for athlete’s rights and ultimately demand a seat at the table and a say in how our sport is run ad how the sport can grow and evolve without ripping out its core. At the moment we, the athletes, have no power. Yes, there is an Athletes’ Commission but we need something independent of the IAAF / World Athletics.
If you are a professional track and field athlete and want to help affect positive change, then please email below to register and follow our social media accounts.
I refuse to give up on this sport and will do all I can do to get real answers from the people currently running it.”
British ace sprinter Dina Asher-Smith, the current 200m World Champion tweeted to show her support for the new union. “You know you always have my support! Let’s do this.” British decathlete Ashley Bryant tweeted, “This is absolutely awesome and you are the perfect person to get this started.” British hurdler Dai Greene, the 2011 400m Hurdles World Champion blasted the IAAF’s move tweeting, “There's no such thing as a boring event, it's how you present it to the public that is the problem.”
The Women’s 3000m Steeple Chase World record holder Beatrice Chepkoech was surprised and stated, “The move came as a complete surprise. It came as a total shocker for me, when I heard that the women's steeplechase will not feature in the calendar next season! This is the time, when I feel I am at the top of my running career. But it will come to nothing, if I am not able to compete at the Diamond League, which I consider as the most lucrative competition and helps us to develop into well-rounded athletes.”
Conseslus Kipruto, Kenya's reigning 3,000m Steeple Chase World Champion is worried about the future of athletes and stated, “The race's omission will hit the development of Kenyan athletics. I am so disappointed that the IAAF has taken such a drastic step to scrap the 3,000m Steeple Chase from the Diamond League. The 3,000m Steeple Chase has made me what I have become and many Kenyan youngsters have been motivated to take up running as a career.”
It is indeed inspiring to see renowned athletes coming together to fight for their rights. The IAAF’s move also smells of racism to prevent African athletes to win more medals in distance running. The truth behind the multi-million dollars deal between the IAAF and the Wanda Group will ultimately come out in near future. The world is surely watching keenly IAAF President Sebastian Coe’s latest move to kill inspiration of millions of upcoming athletes, who are training hard to compete in the 200m, 3000m Steeple Chase, Discuss Throw and Triple Jump in coming years.
