The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has announced plans to create the first official ‘IAAF World Rankings’ as a qualification mechanism to drive the sport’s annual competition system.
Described by the world governing body as the “first step in fundamental changes in athletics”, the new rankings system forms part of the IAAF Reforms introduced by president Seb Coe at the end of 2016 “to help athletes and fans better compete and follow the sport they love”.
The introduction of the IAAF World Rankings will see a switch from standards to ranking when it comes to qualification for major competition, while national member federations will still select their teams from athletes to have qualified, as is currently the case.
According to the IAAF website, further details are set to be finalized in the first quarter of 2018, in order that the system can be applied for the IAAF World Championships in Doha in 2019 and the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020.
The IAAF is the international governing body for the sport of athletics founded on 17 July 1912 as the International Amateur Athletic Federation by representatives from 17 national athletics federations at the organization’s first congress in Stockholm, Sweden. Since October 1993, it has been headquartered in Monaco.
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 in its name until its 2001 congress, at which it changed its name to the International Association of Athletics Federations.
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