Countdown
World Athletics is dedicated to the global growth and development of Athletics, and delivery of World Athletics’ vision “to use the power and accessibility of athletics and our athletes to create a healthier and fitter world”.
This commitment is realised through the creation and delivery of programmes and activities in line with the World Plan for Athletics 2022-2030 and the World Athletics Pioneering Change Strategy 2024-2027. These strategic documents set out the pillars for growth, which centre on more participation, more people, more fans and more partnerships.
World Athletics’ development and education programmes focus on supporting delivery of more participation at all levels and ages but specifically through the Kids’ Athletics programme, as well as the delivery of more people through recruitment, development and education of stakeholders via in person and online (via the eLearning platform) learning initiatives. Additionally, to support delivery of the World Plan, World Athletics provides financial grants, services and support to its 214 Member Federations and six Area Associations based on an agreed framework of principles and policies.
eLearning
The World Athletics eLearning Platform is a world-leading online learning platform designed to provide comprehensive and specialised education to athletics stakeholders.
Our comprehensive range of courses are designed to engage stakeholders and enhance knowledge, skills, and performance across all areas of athletics. This includes coaching, officiating, safeguarding, gender equity, administration and sustainability.
Join the World Athletics Education Hub and start your learning journey
World Athletics eLearning platform
CECS
It is one of World Athletics responsibilities to foster coach education around the world and the World Athletics Coach Education and Certification System (CECS) is operated in more than 150 Member Federations. World Athletics Headquarters is responsible for the its structure, the provision of up-to-date content, education and certification of lecturers as well as administration of the diplomas. Currently, the CECS is under review and will be re-launched in 2020.
TOECS
Recognising that the resources and effort involved in developing a technical officials educational programme may be beyond capabilities on a national level, World Athletics established a Technical Officials Education and Certification System (TOECS) which is available as a service to Member Federations that would like to make use of it.
The goal of the TOECS is to improve the level of athletics officiating all over the world, which means creating a basic level of officiating skills where nothing or only a grass roots situation exists and improving the level of officiating skills where a system is already in place.
The operation of the TOECS is co-ordinated by the World Athletics Development Department and the Area Associations. The TOECS features standard learning materials and specifically trained lecturers for the following three levels of courses:
Race walking judges
World Athletics created an educational system called Race Walking Judges Education and Certification System (RWJECS) with the purpose of providing participants with the theoretical and practical training required to make them capable of officiating at international competitions.
Conferences
Conferences, Symposiums and Seminars have been organised under the supervision of World Athletics since 1990. The latest Conferences were held during the WA Championships with a keynote presentation followed by a case study with a coach of a medallist athlete.
Kids Athletics
Kids’ Athletics is one of the biggest grassroots development programmes in the world of sports. Created in 2005, IAAF Kids' Athletics has been implemented in 134 Member Federations and has reached an estimated cumulative audience of more than 13 million children. KA is under review and will be re-launched in 2020.
World Athletics research projects
World Athletics, with help from the IAF (International Athletics Foundation), has in the past initiated several scientific projects in the areas of biomechanics, coaching and development. Final reports were produced from these projects, as a resource for further information and as a documentation of the projects themselves.
New Studies in Athletics
NSA was launched in 1986 and spanned 32 years. The last publication was volume 32/2017. It was a unique journal for professionals working in athletics and a bridge between science and academia, on the one hand, and the practical work of operating and developing the sport, on the other. You can access the NSA Archive here.
