British Fans, photo by PhotoRun.net
IAAF COUNCIL DAY ONE
LONDON (GBR): World Championships this summer in London is on track at this stage of preparations to deliver a great event with full stadia and passionate fans. The international tickets sales are the best ever with 605,000 tickets sold to date, more than any other IAAF World Championships. This includes 80,000 children’s tickets at the Usain Bolt price of £9.58. The marathon start and finish will be on Tower Bridge and the course of 4x10km loops is very spectator friendly and takes in many iconic London landmarks with victory ceremonies held in the Tower of London Moat. The race walks will be held on a two-kilometre loop along The Mall, between Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square with the world famous ‘Changing of the Guard’ being featured with victory ceremonies taking place against the stunning backdrop of Buckingham Palace at the end of the day. Report from the LOC was the main point during first day of the 209th IAAF Council Meeting. Second day should have in the agenda also the programme of athletics at the Olympic Games 2020.
LONDON (GBR): World record holder Wayde van Niekerk can try 200/400 double as the same could be possible for Shaunae Miller in the women situation at this years World Championships. Following requests from the athletics federations of The Bahamas and South Africa to amend the timetable to better allow for a 200 m/400 m doubling opportunity, Council has approved changes to the timetable of IAAF World Championships in London 2017. Men´s 200 m first round moves form August 8 to August 7 and women´s 200 m first round from August 9to August 8. Also women´s steeple first round went from August 8 to August 9.
LONDON (GBR): IAAF Council approved the composition of the Board of the independent Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) which began operation on Monday April 3. The Chair David Howman, whose appointment was announced last week, is joined by three fellow Board Members, Abby Hoffman (IAAF Council member), Marc Peltier and Andrew Pipe, who bring with them a wealth of experience across sports governance and anti-doping. The fifth and final member of the Board is the AIU Head, a position which, until a permanent appointment is made, will be filled by Thomas Capdevielle who is Head of Testing.
LONDON (GBR): The IAAF World Race Walking Team Championships Taicang in 2018 will be held in usual early season date (May 5-6). The same goes for IAAF World Cross Country Championships 2019 in Aarhus, the event will be staged on March 30. Also dates have been confirmed for the IAAF World Championships Oregon21 in USA, from August 6 until August 15, 2021. Also different time-tables have been approved. For the IAAF World Half Marathon 2018 in Valencia on March 24 with women race at 5.05 pm and men 5.30 pm. Also approved the time-table for the IAAF World U20 Championships 2018 in Tampere. Extra competition session was added to IAAF World Indoor Championships Birmingham 2018 with high jump for men and women on Thursday March 1that means it will be a four days event (March 1 to 4).
