World Athletics strengthens role of Kids' Athletics through Global Sport for Good Initiative

World Athletics is strengthening the role of Kids’ Athletics in delivering positive social and societal impact through its participation in the Global Sport for Good Initiative, a collaboration between the International Olympic Committee (IOC), World Athletics, World Rugby, FIBA and the Badminton World Federation.

Implemented since 2024, the Global Sport for Good Initiative aims to harness the power of sport participation to enhance wellbeing, inclusion, education and community development, while strengthening the capacity of International Federations and their members to understand and demonstrate the impact of sport.

For World Athletics, the focus is on its Kids’ Athletics programme to provide the platform through which these ambitions can be put into practice. Kids’ Athletics is one of the world’s largest grassroots athletics development programmes, targeting children and young people aged four to 14, and reaching 170 countries and more than seven million children in its latest participation campaign.

Kids’ Athletics is helping create opportunities for children to experience athletics in ways that are fun, accessible, inclusive and responsive to their needs. At the heart of the Kids’ Athletics programme is a commitment to child-centred delivery, putting the needs, voice, experiences and wellbeing of children at the centre of how athletics is designed and delivered to them.

“Kids’ Athletics gives us an opportunity to look beyond participation numbers and understand the difference athletics can make in the lives of young people and their communities,” said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe.

“Through the Global Sport for Good Initiative, we are strengthening the people and systems that make this possible, from Member Federations and clubs to coaches and volunteers, while building our ability to understand, measure and communicate the impact of their work.”

World Athletics’ framework for delivering impact through Kids’ Athletics recognises that the quality and sustainability of grassroots athletics depend heavily on the capability of the people delivering it. The Kids’ Athletics delivery network, which includes 18 Master Trainers, more than 300 Member Federation Lead Educators and more than 10,000 coaches and teachers within clubs and schools, is therefore central to the approach. Through workforce development and education, the delivery network is supported to better understand children’s needs, identify community priorities and apply child-centred approaches in their delivery.

To support this, World Athletics continues to ensure that the workforce has relevant tools and education to improve the quality of delivery and experiences for children globally. In April, World Athletics released the Kids’ Athletics app, a tool for coaches and teachers designed to make delivering Kids’ Athletics simpler, faster and more engaging. With free access, full offline functionality, a built-in session planner and availability in six languages, it eliminates the need for printed materials while helping create fun, safe and positive experiences for children worldwide.

Through this initiative there is also a focus on strengthening coach education, with new content being developed and delivered based on the needs of the delivery network and the need to continue to adapt and evolve to changing requirements of children and communities globally.

For young people, the ambition extends beyond participation in a single athletics session. Through accessible, child-centred delivery, Kids’ Athletics supports participants to build confidence and motivation to be physically active, develop transferable life skills and foster a sense of belonging and community connection, supporting healthier, more active lives and a sustained positive connection to athletics, physical activity and sport.

The approach also supports Member Federations to strengthen their own capacity to understand and communicate the value and impact of athletics. By developing their ability to measure impact, Member Federations can better demonstrate the contribution of athletics to partners, governments and other stakeholders.

“The power of sport as a force for driving community cohesion should not be underestimated,” added Coe. “Sport brings people together and it is imperative that we continue to support all our stakeholders – those taking part in athletics, those delivering the sport and those measuring its impact. This initiative is the next step in that mission.”

The work will also contribute to a broader shift in how World Athletics understands and demonstrates the value of participation. Impact measurement will increasingly be embedded across Kids’ Athletics delivery at all levels, helping build an evidence base for how athletics can contribute to health, wellbeing, inclusion, education and community development.

Through the Global Sport for Good initiative, World Athletics will continue to work alongside the IOC and the three other participating International Federations to share learning, strengthen practice and explore how sport can contribute to positive change.

The shared vision is a future where sport is part of everyday life for more people, and where the people delivering sport are equipped and empowered to ensure that participation creates meaningful and lasting benefits for individuals and communities worldwide.

World Athletics