After being held as an innovative &ndash; and highly successful &ndash; online e-Convention in 2020 owing the Covid pandemic, the annual European Athletics Convention returned to being staged as an in-person event in 2021 when it was be held in Lausanne, Switzerland on the 15-16 October.
Member Federations, European Athletics Partners, meeting organisers and delegates from other associated organisations were in attendance, with the Convention being held in both the Hotel Royal Savoy and nearby the Hotel Carlton in the centres of Lausanne.
The two-day programme included ten workshops and two panel sessions addressing topic of interest to anyone involved in athletics in Europe and, as usual, there were meetings of regional athletics organisations and specific interest groups.
The Convention concluded on the evening of Saturday 16 October with the glittering and spectacular Golden Tracks awards ceremony at the Swiss Tech Convention Centre in Lausanne, which saw the winners of the men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s European Athlete of the Year and Rising Star for 2021 announced.
For more information contact:
European Athletics Phone: +41 (21) 313 43 50 E-mail:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:peter.stafford@european-athletics.org">convention@european-athletics.org</a>
The European Athletics Convention is designed to support our Member Federations, offering opportunities for education, networking, planning and debriefing as well as socialising, along with the usual area or interest group meetings and calendar planning activities.&nbsp;
The 2022 European Athletics Convention will be held in Estonia, Tallinn on 20-22 October.
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Member Federations, European Athletics Partners, meeting organisers and other associated organisations attend the Convention, which concludes with the Golden Tracks awards night.

European Athletics Convention

Convention

Dobromir Karamarinov, from Bulgaria, was elected unopposed as the sixth European Athletics President on 14 October 2021 at the European Athletics Congress in Lausanne, Switzerland.&nbsp;&nbsp;
As First Vice President, Karamarinov had been the European Athletics Interim President following the tragic death of his predecessor Svein Arne Hansen on 20 June 2020.
Karamarinov, in line with the European Athletics Constitution, had originally assumed the presidential role and duties following Hansen's stroke in March 2021 which sadly left the latter incapacitated. Born on 26 March 1958, Karamarinov was first elected to the European Athletics Council in 2007. After two terms as a Council Member he was elected as First Vice President in 2015.
Karamarinov was formerly an athletics coach and has a postgraduate degree in sports management. He is the President of the Bulgarian athletics federation and the Association of the Balkan Athletic Federations.
In addition to being a member of various European Athletics and World Athletics Commissions and Advisory Groups, he was also the head of the Team Europe delegation at the 2010, 2014 and 2018 IAAF Continental Cups.
<blockquote>
"To me, it is a huge honour to be elected as President, and to continue to serve European Athletics," said Karamarinov, in an address shortly after his election.
"I aim to do my very best to repay your support and trust. By listening, as well as by leading.
"As you know, I took on the role of Interim President during one of our most challenging periods ever. In June last year, we lost our leader and beloved friend, Svein Arne, who we continue to miss dearly. It&rsquo;s his mandate and legacy that have guided my thoughts on every aspect of our future strategy."
</blockquote>
"Then, along with many other sports, our competition calendar for 2020 was all but wiped out by COVID-19. But thanks to the strong foundations which Svein Arne, and everyone in this room, helped to lay, we have not only withstood these challenges.
"We have emerged stronger, and better prepared for change. I want to thank you all for your resilience and commitment to European Athletics.
"After a hugely successful 2021 season so far, we can now look forward to what I am confident will be one of the most exciting periods in our history.
"In 2021, we got our competitions back on track, ensuring that team Europe achieved one of its best-ever Olympic performances. I invite you to show your appreciation for every one of our European Olympians
"Next season, European Athletics will gain worldwide exposure as the lead sport at Munich 2022, the multi-sport European Championships.
"Also next season, I am determined that our digital strategy &ndash; &lsquo;Athletics in every home and on every phone in Europe&rsquo; &ndash; will be at the forefront of everything we do," added Karamarinov.

European Athletics President

The President

The 2021 European Athletics Congress was held at the Hotel Royal Savoy, Lausanne, Switzerland on 14 October 2021.
The Congress is the General Assembly of the Member Federations and the supreme authority of the European Athletic Association it is also the forum for proposed Constitution amendments and changes, which are then voted upon.
The 2021 Congress was also a 'Special Election Congress' which saw the election of the European Athletics President, one Vice President and two Council Members.&nbsp;
Full details of the 2021 Congress, which saw Dobromir Karamarinov (BUL) elected as the sixth President of European Athletics can be seen <a title="" href="https://european-athletics.com/news/karamarinov-elected-sixth-european-athletics-president" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
The Congress consists of the Council and delegates of the 51 Member Federations. Each Member Federation in good standing, according to the European Athletics Constitution, has one vote.
The current Constitution can be downloaded <a href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/downloads/6edf31c1-0de0-4967-8148-b7b0b203505d/EAA Constitution_October 2021.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
The 2023 European Athletics Congress will be held in Belgrade, Serbia on 21-23 April. This will also be an Election Congress which will see elections for the positions of President, three Vice Presidents and 13 Council Members, who will all serve for four-year terms.

The European Athletics Congress is the General Assembly of the Member Federations and the supreme authority of the European Athletic Association.

European Athletics Congress

Congress

<h4 class="dcm-structure-subtitle dcm-em-lbl">President</h4>
<ul>
<li><a title="Dobromir Karamarinov" href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/downloads/0f834a9a-c093-4200-bd27-d81606555352/DobromirKaramarinov.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dobromir Karamarinov</a> *</li>
</ul>
<h4 class="dcm-structure-subtitle dcm-em-lbl">Vice Presidents</h4>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/downloads/b63e09d0-9fd6-43c1-8675-70196fad34d3/Jean%20Gracia.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jean Gracia</a> * (First Vice Presdient)</li>
<li><a title="Cherry Alexander" href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/downloads/a8ca3b38-e020-4593-b918-cccc41a5a867/CherryAlexander.pdf">Cherry Alexander</a> *</li>
<li><a title="Libor Varhanik" href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/downloads/429ee9ab-2ed1-4e9d-93eb-d702f7c00ede/LiborVarhanik.pdf">Libor Varhanik</a> *</li>
</ul>
<h4 class="dcm-structure-subtitle dcm-em-lbl">Council Members</h4>
<ul>
<li><a title="Slobodan Brankovic" href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/downloads/fba59c8f-c8f5-4c8b-8064-a8083a31d9f1/SlobodanBrankovic.pdf">Slobodan Brankovic</a></li>
<li><a title="Nadya But-Husaim" href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/downloads/4cdc569c-6257-4553-8e88-ac131c939a8e/NadyaBut-Husaim.pdf">Nadya But-Husaim</a></li>
<li><a title="Raul Chapado" href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/downloads/c4475cff-4826-4013-9156-eb6150716722/RaulChapado.pdf">Raul Chapado</a></li>
<li><a title="Fatih Cintimar" href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/downloads/7aaf7e70-d96d-4d8b-b953-e657ac7743fb/FatihCintimar.pdf">Fatih Cintimar</a></li>
<li><a title="Panagiotis Dimakos" href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/downloads/fa1886b9-58b7-426a-a9e8-0db50bc26f24/PanagiotisDimakos.pdf">Panagiotis Dimakos</a></li>
<li><a title="Karin Grute Movin" href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/downloads/4c931630-7558-42c8-b670-89ec56a1ed72/KarinMovin.pdf">Karin Grute Movin</a> *</li>
<li><a title="Marton Gyulai" href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/downloads/b2ace4d6-aed2-43f8-ae49-16c58f5b1a7b/MartonGyulai.pdf">Marton Gyulai </a>*</li>
<li><a title="" href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/downloads/e05e8ffa-4215-4d71-8034-8c31fe0fcd20/Juergen Kessing.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Juergen Kessing</a></li>
<li><a title="Anna Kirnova" href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/downloads/36ecda98-21ee-4740-973e-0fb091bd565d/AnnaKirnova.pdf">Anna Kirnova</a></li>
<li><a title="" href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/downloads/b69b10ce-4151-4b81-b9e0-004d535d05be/Henryk Olszewski.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Henryk Olszewski</a></li>
<li><a title="Antti Pihlakoski" href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/downloads/f27a8f9a-d98d-4595-ab9e-74aa0c2a651a/AnttiPihlakoski.pdf">Antti Pihlakoski</a></li>
<li><a title="Sonja Spendelhofer" href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/downloads/6e9bbfab-7708-4482-be4c-c2e0a285a862/SonjaSpendelhofer.pdf">Sonja Spendelhofer</a></li>
<li><a title="Erich Teigam&auml;gi" href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/downloads/531b3815-43ea-441a-b11b-4db525902190/ErichTeigamagi.pdf">Erich Teigam&auml;gi</a></li>
</ul>
<h4 class="dcm-structure-subtitle dcm-em-lbl">Ex Officio Council Members</h4>
<ul>
<li>Christian Milz (European Athletics CEO) *</li>
<li>Sebastian Coe (World Athletics President)</li>
<li>Periklis Iakovakis (Chair of the European Athletics Athletes Committee) * Members of the European Athletics Executive Board</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h3>The European Athletics Council consists of:</h3>
<ul>
<li>The President</li>
<li>Three Vice Presidents, with a minimum representation of one man and one woman</li>
<li>13 other members, elected by the European Athletics Congress, with a minimum representation of three members of each gender&nbsp;</li>
<li>The European Athletics CEO (ex officio)</li>
<li>The World Athletics President (ex officio)</li>
<li>The Chair of the European Athletics Athletes Committee (ex officio)</li>
</ul>
The term of office for the Council is for the period from the effective date of its election to the conclusion of the next Ordinary Congress at which elections of Council members are to be made.&nbsp; The President, Vice Presidents, CEO (ex officio), and up to two Council members, approved by the Council upon proposal by the President, form the Executive Board.
<h3 class="dcm-articleTitle">Honorary Council Members</h3>
Honorary Presidents
Carl-Olaf Hom&eacute;n (FIN)&nbsp; Hansj&ouml;rg Wirz (SUI)&nbsp;
Honorary Council Members
Janez Aljancic (SLO) Sylvia Barlag (NED) Luciano Barra (ITA) Valery Borzov (UKR) Georgios Constantopoulos (GRE) Jose Luis de Carlos (ESP) Antonios G. Dracos (CYP) Rudolf Dusek (CZE) Al Guy (IRL) Heiner Henze (GER) Philippe Lamblin (FRA) John Lister (GBR) Toralf Nilsson (SWE) Karel Pilny (CZE) Jorge Salcedo (POR) Hans B. Skaset (NOR) Salih Munir Yaras (TUR)
Deceased
<div>
Honorary Presidents&nbsp;
Adriaan Paulen (NED) &dagger; Sir Arthur Gold (GBR)&nbsp; Svein-Arne Hansen (NOR) &dagger;
Honorary Council Members&nbsp;
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Karl Beuermann (GER)&nbsp; Jerzy Bogobowicz (POL) &dagger; Emile Clemm&eacute; (BEL)&nbsp; Jack Crump (GBR) &dagger; Pierre Dasriaux (FRA) Roger Dubief (FRA)&nbsp; Max Danz (GER) &dagger; Juan Manuel de Hoz (ESP) J. Sigfrid Edstr&ouml;m (SWE) &dagger; Jean Frauenlob (SUI) Frank Hensel (GER) &dagger; Frederick W. Holder (GBR) Leonid Khomenkov (URS)&nbsp; August Kirsch (GER)&nbsp; Paul Mericamp (FRA) &dagger; Otto Misangyi (HUN) Donald Pain (GBR)&nbsp; Adriaan Paulen (NED)&nbsp; Emmanuel Rose (DEN)&nbsp; Agoston Schulek (HUN)&nbsp; Jean Ren&eacute; Seurin (FRA)&nbsp; Jozsef Sir (HUN)&nbsp; Sziland Stankovitz (HUN) &dagger; Paquale Stassano (ITA) &dagger; Erika Strasser (AUT) Irena Szewinska (POL) Artur Takac (SCG) Armas Valste (FIN) George Wieczisk (GER) Bruno Zauli (ITA)&nbsp;&dagger;
&dagger; posthumous nomination
&nbsp;
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European Athletics Council

Council

Development Commission (2019-2023) Chair GRACIA, Jean (First Vice Presdient)
Deputy Chair VASIC, Marko (European Athletics Office)
Members ANNER, Richard (LUX) DAVIS, Nick (IRL) GRUTE MOVIN, Karin (Executive Board Member) GYULAI, M&aacute;rton (Executive Board Member) MEADOWS, Jenny (GBR) PETRAHN, Barbara (HUN) RUSSO, Roberta (ITA) TEIGAM&Auml;GI, Erich (Council Member)&nbsp;
Event &amp; Competition Commission (2019-2023) Chair ALEXANDER, Cherry (Vice President)&nbsp;
Deputy Chair BRUN, Bernadette (European Athletics Office)
Members BEKLER, Gaye (TUR) BUT-HUSAIM, Nadya (Council Member) DE CARLOS, Jos&eacute; Luis (ESP) FITTKO, Esther (GER) JUCK, Alfons (SVK) NILSSON, Toralf (SWE) O&rsquo;CALLAGHAN, Pierce (IRL) PUHALEVA, Galia (BUL) VAN DER AAR, Niels (NED)
IAKOVAKIS, Periklis (Athletes Committee Chair)
Medical &amp; Anti-Doping Commission (2019-2023) Chair BRANCO, Pedro (POR)
Deputy Chair RUTKOVSZKY, Ede (European Athletics Office)
Members ENGSTR&Ouml;M, Jan (SWE) DRISCOLL, Richard (GBR) KUURANNE, Tiia (FIN) KISS, Marianna (HUN) COHEN, Benjamin (SUI)
Athletes Committee (2018-2022) Chair IAKOVAKIS, Periklis (GRE)
Deputy Chair PIRLET, Quentin (European Athletics Office)
Members ENGLAND, Hannah (GBR) LALOVA-COLLIO, Ivet (BUL) LEITIS, Janis (LAT) LEWANDOWSKI, Marcin (POL) RODRIGUEZ, Angel David (ESP) SALIS, Silvia (ITA) SPANOVIC, Ivana (SRB)
Evaluation Panel Chair MENDES, C&eacute;lia (European Athletics Office)
Members BARLAG, Sylvia (NED) DE CARLOS, Jos&eacute; Luis (ESP) NILSSON, Toralf (SWE) PILNY, Karel (CZE) SALCEDO, Jorge (POR) WEISS, Pierre (FRA)
EAA Court (2019-2023) Chair ENGEL, Sven (SUI) Vice-Chair BROLIN, Thore (SWE)
Members NAGHIYEV, Zaur (AZE) ROUENOV PANTCHEV, Trifon (BUL) ENGELBRECHT, Georg (GER) STINSON, Philip (GBR) BEREZOV, Victor (RUS - This member will only become active upon Russia's suspension as a Member Federation being lifted.)&nbsp;
For further information please contact:&nbsp;<a id="EAAcourt@european-athletics.org" href="mailto:EAAcourt@european-athletics.org">EAAcourt@european-athletics.org</a>&nbsp;
European Athletics Advisory Groups (2019 &ndash; 2023)
Bidding Advisory Group Chair ALEXANDER, Cherry (Vice President) Members BRUN, Bernadette (European Athletics Office) GRUTE MOVIN, Karin (Executive Board Member) MENDES, C&eacute;lia (European Athletics Office) VARHANIK, Libor (Vice President)
Digital &amp; Data Advisory Group Chair GRACIA, Jean (Executive Board Member)
Members&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; FAULKNER, Robert&nbsp; (European Athletics Office) LAUNOIS, Nicolas (European Athletics Office) MILZ, Christian ((European Athletics&nbsp;CEO) TEIGAM&Auml;GI, Erich (European Athletics Council) WAKIM, Marcel (European Athletics Office)
Finances Advisory Group Chair KARAMARINOV, Dobromir (European Athletics President) JOLLIET, Sylvain (European Athletics Office) MILZ, Christian (European Athletics CEO) PILNY, Karel (Financial Advisor) Governance Advisory Group Chair GRACIA, Jean (Executive Board Member) Members BARLAG, Sylvia (NED) BARAN, Ami (ISR) CASTREJANA, Carlota (ESP) FREITAG, Dagmar (GER) LIPPE, Sirje (EST) MENDES, C&eacute;lia (European Athletics Office) PREZELJ, Rožle (SLO)&nbsp;&nbsp; Marketing Advisory Group Chair VARHANIK, Libor (Vice President) Members BRAUN, Charles (European Athletics Office) CHAPADO, Raul (Council Member) GRUTE MOVIN, Karin (Executive Board Member) MAGYAR, Patrick (SUI) MILZ, Christian (European Athletics CEO) &nbsp; Media Advisory Group Chair GYULAI, M&aacute;rton (Council Member) Members BLUSINA, Ieva (LAT) JUCK, Alfons (SVK) FAULKNER, Robert (European Athletics Office) O&rsquo;CALLAGHAN, Pierce (IRL)
Running Advisory Group Chair DIMAKOS, Panagiotis (Council Member, Interim Chair) Members GRIBEL VORUM, Katrine (DEN) GRUTE MOVIN, Karen (Executive Board Member) VARHANIK, Libor (Vice President) VASIC, Marko (European Athletics Office) WIGHTMAN, Geoff (GBR)

European Athletics Commissions

Commissions

<h3 class="dcm-articleTitle">European Athletics Honours</h3>
The success and development of athletics in Europe depends on the incalculable contributions of time, effort and expertise made by individuals working at all levels of the sport. European Athletics regularly recognises those who have given the most through a system of honours, which according to its Constitution are awarded by decision of the Council.
<a id="HonoraryMembership" tabindex="-1"></a>Honorary Presdients and Honorary Council Members Outgoing presidents of European Athletics are awarded the title Honorary President, which is presented at the European Athletics Congress. Currently, this title is held by Hansj&ouml;rg Wirz (SUI) and Carl-Olaf Hom&eacute;n (FIN), who served as the President from 1999-2015 and 1987-1999 respectively. Previously, the award was given to Sir Arthur Gold (GBR), who served as President from 1976 to 1987 while Adriaan Paulen (NED) and Svein-Arne Hansen (NOR), who served as President from 1970-1976 and 2015-2020 respectively, were given the award posthumously in 2021.
Outgoing Council members who have served three or more terms on the Council and other individuals who have given especially meritorious service to European Athletics are recognised with the title Honorary Council Member, which is also presented at the European Athletics Congress.
A full list of Honorary Presdients and Honorary Council Members is given <a title="" href="https://european-athletics.com/european-athletics/who-we-are/council" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
<a id="PlaqueOfMerit" tabindex="-1"></a>Plaque of Merit The European Athletics Plaque of Merit is awarded to persons who have given outstanding service and assistance to the development of athletics or to the successful delivery of European Athletics events and projects.
This honour is typically given to outgoing Council members who have served two terms and others such as European Athletics Commission members, event organisers, journalists and administrators proposed by the Council or by Member Federations. It is presented at the European Athletics Congress.
A full list of recipients since the award was inaugerated in 1995 can be found <a title="" href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/downloads/d4e0c20b-cc3b-4122-96c5-4c99a07b26ef/Plaque of Merit - All-Time Recipients.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
<a id="GoldenPin" tabindex="-1"></a>Golden Pin The European Athletics Golden Pin is awarded to persons who have given special service and assistance to the development of athletics or to the successful delivery of European Athletics events and projects.
This honour is typically given to outgoing Council members who have served one term and others such as European Athletics Commission members, event organisers, journalists and administrators proposed by the Council or Member Federations. It is presented at the European Athletics Congress.
A full list of recipients since the award was inaugerated in 1995 can be found <a title="" href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/downloads/d582b7ac-2891-4311-853a-bc36430805b8/Golden Pin- All-Time Recipients.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
<h3 class="dcm-articleTitle">European Athletics Awards</h3>
<a id="MemberFederationAward" tabindex="-1"></a>Member Federation Award The European Athletics Member Federation Award is given to individuals who have dedicated a number of years of service to their national federation, European Athletics or both.
This honour is typically given to federation leaders, event organisers, coaches and others proposed by the president of their national federation. It may not be given to a current European Athletics Council member. It is normally given each year at national ceremonies and whenever possible a representative of the European Athletics Council makes the presentation.
A full list of winners can be found <a title="" href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/downloads/590b983c-c0a7-4c9e-8280-2dfb885d549d/Member Federation Awards All Time Recipients updated 2021.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
<a id="EuropeanAthleticsCoachingAwards" tabindex="-1"></a>European Athletics Coaching Awards The European Athletics Coaching Awards recognise and celebrate the important contributions made by coaches to the sport of athletics.
The annual awards are the centrepiece of European Athletics' strategy to promote coaching at all levels of the sport.
The coach of each European Champion in the senior category is automatically nominated for the award.
In addition, all 51 European Athletics Member Federations are invited to nominate one additional male coach and one additional female coach per year based on the criteria &ldquo;excellence in coaching&rdquo;.
The first awards are given to one male and one female representative of all the winners at the Golden Tracks awards ceremony during the European Athletics Convention.
The remainder of the awards are presented at national ceremonies.
A full list of winners can be found <a title="" href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/downloads/5749d494-8bca-4cb1-b595-679d7905a0e0/Coaching Awards All Time Recipients updated 2021.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
<a id="EuropeanAthleticsWomenLeadershipAwards" tabindex="-1"></a>European Athletics Women's Leadership Awards The European Athletics Women's Leadership Awards recognise and celebrate the important contributions made by women throughout Europe to the sport of athletics.
The biennial awards, which were given for the first time in 2009, are the centrepiece of the European Athletics strategy to promote the development of women leaders and gender equity in the sport.
In 2021, 23 European Athletics Member Federations had a national winner whose work and accomplishments, other than in competition, were a significant contribution that served as an outstanding example of leadership and other values of the sport of athletics.
One representative of all the winners is presented with her award at the Golden Tracks awards ceremony during the European Athletics Convention. The remainder of the awards are presented at national ceremonies.
The next edition of these awards will be in 2023.
A full list of winners can be found <a title="" href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/downloads/77a0bf12-ea67-4209-8db0-39419d5f0f62/Women's Leadership Awards All Time Recipients updated 2021.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

European Athletics recognises individuals who have contributed their time, effort and expertise with various honours and awards.

European Athletics Honours & Awards

Honours & Awards

European Athletics celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 2020 and a new logo reflecting its 50th anniversary was used throughout the year.
However, European Athletics can actually trace its origins back almost a century.
In 1932, what was then the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) created a special committee to explore the possibility of organising a European Championships in Athletics.
The following year, the IAAF Council appointed a permanent European Committee.
The Committee met for the first time in Budapest on 7 January 1934 and the first European Athletics Championships were staged later that year in Torino.
The Committee was subsequently elected every four years by the whole membership of the IAAF and then, from 1966, exclusively by the IAAF's European Member Federations.
Its remit in this era included expanding the European competition programme which it did by adding the European Cup, first staged in 1965 and later to become the present day European Athletics Team Championships and then the European Indoor Games, first staged in 1966 which later became the European Athletics Indoor Championships.
On 1 November 1969 at a meeting of the Committee in Bucharest, the Association of the European Members of the IAAF was formed and its Constitutional Rules were confirmed at the following year's IAAF Congress.
These Rules came into force at the first European Athletic Association Congress in Paris on 7 November 1970, after which the organisation was known as the European Athletic Association (EAA).
The EAA's role now includes the further development of the European competition programme - and it has been at the forefront of introducing continental age-group championships as well as competitions for specific disciplines such as the European 10,000m Cup and European Throwing Cup - the development of the sport at all levels in Europe and supporting its Member Federations.
The EAA was legally re-constituted in Switzerland in 2003 and the Headquarters were moved to Lausanne, effective 1 January 2004.
Following the move to Lausanne, the association adopted the brand name European Athletics in 2004 and a new Constitution, reflecting the various changes to the organisational structure and working practices of the EAA, was adopted by an Extraordinary European Athletic Association Congress on 15 October 2005.
Svein Arne Hansen of Norway became the fifth President of European Athletics at the Congress in Bled, Slovenia on 11 April 2015. He was re-elected at the 26th European Athletics Congress in Prague on 13 April 2019 for another four-year term.
However, following the tragic death of Hansen while in office on 20 June 2020, European Athletics First Vice President Dobromir Karamarinov, from Bulgaria, became the European Athletics Interim President and was subsequently elected as the sixth Presdient on 14 October 2021.
The four previous European Athletics Presidents were: Switzerland's Hansj&ouml;rg Wirz, who served from 1999 to 2015. Finland&rsquo;s Carl-Olaf Homen from 1987 to 1999, Great Britain's Arthur Gold from 1976 to 1987 and Adriaan Paulen of the Netherlands from 1970 to 1976.
In 2016, to accommodate the expansion of the European Athletics staff and activities, there was a move to larger premises in Lausanne, alongside the former offices.
European Athletics' membership considerably during the late 1980s and early 1990s following the political changes in central and eastern European during this period, growing from 34 Member Federations in 1987 to 49 in 1991. Currently, there are 51 Member Federations with the most recent addition being Kosovo in 2015.

European Athletics celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 2020. However,  European Athletics can actually trace its origins back almost a century.

European Athletics History

History

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Take our sport to your city and your city to our sport!
European Athletics has currently a programme of ten different sporting events (Championships and Cups) and two corporate events (Congress and Convention) that represent 39 single events over a period of four years, which are all available for cities and national Member Federations to host.
From a European Athletics Championships with a full programme of stadium and out-of-stadium disciplines to the smaller scale specific discipline events, an Indoor or cross country championships, the options are wide for cities to select an international athletics event to host which is appropriate to their goals, size and resources.
Event bidding is the first stage in bringing one of the European Athletics&rsquo; events to a city and our manual 'From Bidding to Hosting' provides you with further information on the overall process on how to become a host for a European Athletics event.
Here is the European Athletics Events portfolio at a glance but our team can guide you to evaluate the&nbsp; most adequate type of event for your city and Member Federation.
The European Athletics Bidding Manual - From Bidding to Hosting is available to download <a href="https://european-athletics.com/Bidding_Manual_Feb_21_1002.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
For further details please contact us at:<a id="bidding@european-athletics.org" href="mailto:bidding@european-athletics.org">bidding@european-athletics.org</a> 
<h5>EUROPEAN ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS</h5>
Our flagship event is the the European Athletics Championships and this showcase of elite athletics at its very best is held every two years.
The European Athletics Championships on non-Olympic years are staged within a multi-sport event and therefore part of a separate bidding process.
The edition staged in the Olympic year is organised every four years, runs over six days with approximately 1500 athletes from 51 Member Federations and brings great visibility to the host city with a full athletics programme.&nbsp;
Imaginative ideas used by host cities in the recent past have included holding the qualification rounds of a field event in an emblematic venue in the centre of the city and having a mass participation road race; these concepts make all the local citizens feel as though they are part of the Championships.
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<h5>EUROPEAN ATHLETICS INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS</h5>
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The biennial championships are an action-packed event over three days of intense competition with more than 600 athletes with almost all of the European Athletics Member Federations represented.
This event is held across the first or second weekend of March and increases the visibility of the sport and the city in a period of the year the latter might not attract as many visitors.
<h5>EUROPEAN ATHLETICS TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS</h5>
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This team event pits joint men's and women's national teams against each other, heightening the excitement.&nbsp;
The top&nbsp; tier Super League consists of the eight best national teams in Europe while the three other leagues below it feature all the other European Athletics Member Federations competing for promotion in a two-day competition that is normally held in June.
The format of this championship puts the emphasis on the country and the team as opposed to individual results.
<h5>SPAR EUROPEAN CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS</h5>
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The closing event of every year&rsquo;s European calendar, on the second weekend of December, attracts the best long distance talents from across the continent in the men's and women's U20, U23 and senior categories and as well as an exciting mixed-gender relay.
This is a wonderful way to showcase our sport in the centre of your city and a way of letting the public get close to the action.
<h5>EUROPEAN ATHLETICS U23 CHAMPIONSHIPS</h5>
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Exclusively for athletes aged between 20 and 22, this is often the stage for emerging stars of or sport that have already performed at international level.
Over 1000&nbsp; athletes compete at these Championships, which offer the best of a major championships event&nbsp; but with a lower scale of investment.&nbsp;
Held in&nbsp; July,&nbsp; the four-day&nbsp; event is not confined to the track and field programme in the stadium as it can also bring the race walking road events to the heart of the city.
<h5>EUROPEAN ATHLETICS U20 CHAMPIONSHIPS</h5>
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This championship is the perfect platform 16 to 19-year-old athletes to make progress towards a senior career and is often a 'look in the the crystal ball' with regards to the future stars of the sport.
It is an excellent showcase of athletics for your city over four days of a full track and field programme in the month of July with around 1100 athletes competing.
<h5>EUROPEAN ATHLETICS U18 CHAMPIONSHIPS</h5>
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An athletics youth festival, this event is for many 16 and 17-year-old athletes their first major international competition experience.
Over four days of competition with more than 1000 athletes competing, your city can become the stage&nbsp; for some remarkable performances by young athletes and be remembered as the place where stars were born.
<h5>EUROPEAN RACE WALKING TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS</h5>
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Mainly a team competition, it features in one day separate events for senior men and women over the distances of 20km and 50km and separate events for U20 men and women over 10km.&nbsp;
This event brings together around 250 European race walkers. In addition to the team competitions themselves, the competitors are often also aiming to achieve an entry standard for a major ahletics championships. This event can be staged in the centre of the city, which will gain exposure fro the event and get the public close to the action.
<h5>EUROPEAN THROWING CUP</h5>
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Calling for warm weather conditions in March to allow the athletes to achieve great results, this event marks the beginning of the outdoor season for many of Europe's top throwers and gives an early indication of what to expect in the coming months.
A two-day annual event that, with Europe's strength in the throws, sees the many of best athletes from the recent Olympic Games, World or European Athletics Championships among the 300 athletes competing
<h5>EUROPEAN ATHLETICS OFF-ROAD RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIPS</h5>
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This&nbsp; challenging&nbsp; outdoor&nbsp; event&nbsp; is&nbsp; ideal&nbsp; for&nbsp; mountain&nbsp; landscapes&nbsp; and&nbsp; combines&nbsp; mountain&nbsp; running&nbsp; and&nbsp; trail running in a two to four-day programme that features at least ten elite and two mass participation races.
The team competitions in addition to the individual races, makes it an exciting and picturesque one-day event that also makes a great connection with nature.
<h5>EUROPEAN 10,000m CUP</h5>
The event gathers together many of the best long distance runners in Europe that want to compete in an national team competition and to gain an entry standard to one of the major summer athletics championships.
European Athletics aims to integrate the Cup into an existing event and to become a one-day festival for distance running, creating a great atmosphere in which the athletes can compete.
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European Athletics has a programme of 10 different sporting events and 2 corporate events available for cities and Member Federations to host.

Event Hosting

European Athletics is committed to keeping its athletes healthy and to its zero-tolerance policy with respect to doping. 
The role of the medical sector in athletics is crucial, with European Athletics in collaboration with World Athletics making its own vital contribution to the area of medicine and sports science.
From anti-doping to injury data, European Athletics is keeping constantly abreast of athletics&rsquo; medical situation in the sport's ever-changing world.
Studies and surveys commissioned by European Athletics provide invaluable data about injury patterns and risks, helping to increase the safety of athletes competing at European Athletics events.
The European Athletics Medical and Anti-Doping Commission has adopted the World Athletics Medical Guidelines for European Athletics events.
European Athletics emphasises that all competitions should be held under the appropriate conditions that assure a healthy and safe environment for all participants to compete.
The guidelines are based on recommendations of leading practitioners who provide medical care at athletics, road racing and race-walking competitions.
&nbsp;
Definition of Doping Doping means not only cheating by taking substances or using methods that are listed on the annual WADA List of prohibited substances and methods, but also violating any other World Athletics Anti-Doping Rule or this of your National Federation.
Health impact/side effects of Doping Doping&nbsp;by using&nbsp;<a href="https://www.athleticsintegrity.org/know-the-rules/understand-the-prohibited-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">prohibited substances or methods</a>&nbsp;not only threatens&nbsp;our sport, it also harms your health. Most of the products used as&nbsp;doping substances are medicines developed and used for healing&nbsp;diseases. In such cases, side effects are accepted. However, taking drugs&nbsp;when you are not ill means that you may suffer severe side effects but&nbsp;no healing effect.​
Rules and Regulations The rules and regulations that are important in connection with or in dealing with matters of&nbsp;Anti-Doping are the <a href="https://www.wada-ama.org/en/what-we-do/the-code" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WADA Code</a>, the <a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/about-iaaf/documents/book-of-rules">World Athletics&nbsp;Anti-Doping Regulations</a> and the codes of your National Federation or National Anti-Doping-Organisation.&nbsp;
Such rules and regulations also define Anti-Doping rule violations and procedures. So you should study them carefully. Be sure that you always working with the latest version of&nbsp;both the rules and the Anti-Doping codes as changes&nbsp;can occur.
In particular the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wada-ama.org/en/what-we-do/the-prohibited-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WADA List of Prohibited Substances and Methods</a> is reviewed by WADA every year.&nbsp;
Nutritional Supplements Nutritional supplements are very popular among athletes. It is said that they have positive impact on health and performance, however, this has never been proven by scientific study.
On the contrary, some studies show that they may have negative impact on health. In any case: by taking nutritional supplements you always take the risk of an adverse analytical finding. Previous cases have shown that athletes were tested positive due to contaminated supplements. No excuses were accepted ... so, be careful!
Testing As part of European Athletics drive to eradicate doping from our sport we focus not only on education, but tests,&nbsp;in particular pre- and in-competition tests to ensure that competing athletes are clean and healthy.&nbsp;
If you want to know what to do should you be&nbsp;asked to provide a sample, and for more information about the European Athletics I Run Clean e-learning programme, please click on the link below:
<a href="https://www.irunclean.org/Home/Cultures" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">I Run Clean</a>
Contact European Athletics Competition Department (see details below) and the experts in our <a href="https://european-athletics.com/european-athletics/who-we-are/commissions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Medical and Anti-Doping Commission</a> will always provide as much support&nbsp;as we can particular in areas of&nbsp;medical&nbsp;or Anti-Doping matters. If you have any questions or comments, do not hesitate to contact us: European Athletics Events Department Avenue Louis-Ruchonnet 16 CH-1003 Lausanne, Switzerland Telephone: +41 (21) 313 43 56/52/63 Fax: +41 (21) 313 43 51 email: <a href="mailto:competition@european-athletics.org">anti-doping@european-athletics.org</a> web: <a href="http://www.european-athletics.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.european-athletics.com</a>

European Athletics is committed to keeping its athletes healthy and has zero-tolerance to doping. The role of the medical sector in athletics is crucial.

European Athletics Medical & Anti-Doping

Medical & Anti-Doping

The European Athletics manifesto - the written declaration of the intentions, motives and views of our organisation - is entitled 'Your Sport for Life'.
The manifesto is for those closely associated with European Athletics, the Congress (Member Federation leaders), the Council, the Executive Board, the Commissions and the Head Office. It is useful, though, for all external stakeholders of our sport.
The purpose of our manifesto is to provide the foundation for a shared understanding of, on the one hand, who we are and what we believe in, what we are doing and what we are aiming to achieve, and on the other hand, how we communicate.
In other words, it functions as a constant reminder about speaking &ldquo;with one voice&rdquo; and acts as a base and guide for all that we do.
INTRODUCTION
Since its establishment in 1970, European Athletics has served its Member Federations by working to promote the sport of athletics (including track &amp; field, cross country, road running, race walking and mountain running) throughout Europe.
Its role includes staging championships and elite competitions, which provide opportunities for Europe&rsquo;s top athletes to excel, showcase the sport, drive public interest in athletics and create the income necessary for other activities.&nbsp; It also includes leading the now 51 Member Federations and supporting their work in their countries as they reach out to engage more people and deliver all the forms and benefits of athletics.
The brand of European Athletics &ndash; in other words the values, symbols and meanings associated with the organisation and the sport &ndash; is an important tool for talking about and driving work in both these areas and, above all, strengthening the desired image of our sport.
To maximise the value of any brand it is necessary for those involved to understand and consistently communicate it so that audiences acquire the same understanding.&nbsp; This applies to athletics regardless of whether we are trying to sell tickets for an event, reporting results, promoting a programme or addressing an important issue.
The text below outlines the key elements of the European Athletics brand. It contains the messages and agreed wording that Member Federation communications managers should know and use in their day to day work. It also contains an overview of the European Athletics strategy and the 2016-2019 programme for delivering the strategy.
These messages will be packaged in different ways for presentation to various audiences, both by European Athletics and by others working for the good of the sport.&nbsp; But it is vital that they are well understood and, recognising the challenges linked to translation, communicated with wording as close to the original meaning as possible.
VALUES
When we speak about values we need to be aware that there are values inherent in the sport of athletics and the values that drive our organisations (European Athletics, the Member Federations and clubs).
The Values of Athletics
* Competition * Excellence * Fair Play and Sportsmanship * Discipline * Personal Development * Physical Fitness * Healthy Lifestyle * Equality * Inclusiveness This set of values helps to defines what is good and special about our sport.&nbsp; It is recognised that other sports share many of the same values but the design and the delivery of athletics emphasises these and demonstrates that for us these are more than words -- they are central to what we do. Organisational Values * Integrity * Unity * Social and Environmental Responsibility * Innovation&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This set of values indicates the ideals European Athletics is striving for as it works to operate and develop the sport of athletics in Europe.&nbsp;&nbsp; By its example, European Athletics hopes to lead its Member Federations to respect the same values in their work.
MISSION
'To grow our sport by leading, inspiring and enabling every European to enjoy a loyal relationship with athletics and receive its benefits for life&rdquo;
This simple statement is meant to give our stakeholders and the public a clear sense of what drives European Athletics and what it and its Member Federations are working towards.
The mission is at the heart of the strategy but it is not in itself the strategy or the plan for implementing the strategy. The test of any decision or activity should be 'Is what we are doing in line with this mission? Is it contributing to achieving the mission?' SLOGAN 'Your Sport for Life'
This slogan is a short, memorable phrase that summarises our brand proposition and positioning.
The demand of modern consumers, especially young people, is for choice. &ldquo;Your Sport&rdquo; implies that there are many possible forms of engagement with athletics &ndash; health and fitness enthusiast, elite athlete, coach, competition official, club volunteer, federation leader, spectator, television viewer, internet user, etc. &ndash; and that from any combination of these each individual&rsquo;s relationship with the sport can be customised to meet his or her current interests and needs.
European Athletics&rsquo; mission is to have a life-long relationship with every European, through different and changing activities in our sport &ndash; from competing as a junior or elite athlete to working as an official, and this is reflected in the &ldquo;for Life&rdquo; element of the slogan. There is also a double meaning as the values of athletics &ndash; personal development, fitness, healthy lifestyle, education, social and environment responsibility, etc. &ndash; all imply that a personal relationship with athletics will add to the quality of life.
LOGO
The European Athletics logo (see top of this page) is an attractive symbol that comprises three arcs, each representing one of the basic components of athletics: running/walking, jumping and throwing. The curve and positioning of the arcs lead the eye in three dimensions and create a feeling of movement. The result is best described by the word &ldquo;dynamic,&rdquo; which, of course, is often used to describe the sport as well.
The strong blue and yellow colours are meant to symbolise Europe, while the equally strong orange represents the sport of athletics.
One of the starting points for the design of the logo was how European Athletics unites three groups &ndash; Member Federations, athletes and fans &ndash; across Europe through the sport of athletics. As the arcs can also be seen as lanes on three running tracks, the logotype is sometimes referred to as &ldquo;United Tracks.&rdquo;
In 2008, the &ldquo;Your Sport for Life&rdquo; slogan was added below the logotype for use on the website and many other situations to give greater prominence to the strategy of using the sport&rsquo;s values to engage current and new audiences. The orange colour of the slogan indicates that these apply to athletics as a whole, emphasising European Athletics leadership of the sport in Europe.
STRATEGY OVERVIEW
The Challenge
The central challenge European Athletics over the coming decade will be to increase the relevance of athletics, both to individual Europeans and within European society.&nbsp; This means engaging more and more people and adding something meaningful to their lives.
In other words, we in athletics must deliver on our &ldquo;Your Sport for Life&rdquo; promise.
To do this we must first of all ensure that the sport is led and governed well and then we must embrace change where it is needed.
From a practical communications point of view we must effectively engage a wide range of audiences about what must remain constant &ndash; our values and, particularly, the integrity of the sport &ndash; and about the opportunities for each individual within the diverse ways that athletics can be experienced.&nbsp; This means using the appropriate channels and tools available.
Only by building greater awareness, popularity and loyalty are we likely to attract the additional support from governments, the media, commercial partners and volunteers we need to achieve any of the specific targets that we set.
The Pillars
Increasing relevance will involve work to build on two areas that are already strengths for athletics: 1) high-performance athletics and 2) the community of individuals actively engaged in some aspect of athletics.&nbsp;&nbsp; We call this our &ldquo;Twin-Pillar&rdquo; strategy.
High-Performance
This is the area that most people in athletics are familiar with and understand well.&nbsp; It is clearly strength that the sport&rsquo;s showcase events attract media attention, governmental support and commercial partnerships. At the international level and for most of our Member Federations, staging these events and preparing the athletes for them are the core business of athletics, the pillar that supports the sport.
To continue our success in this area the key issues that the sport, led by European Athletics, must address include: * Integrity &ndash; Athletics has long been a leader in the fight against doping.&nbsp; Maintaining this position, becoming more effective and communicating about our efforts are fundamental to the credibility of our sport. * The International Competition System &ndash; Top priority is to provide talented athletes with opportunities to excel by offering the best competition possibilities organised in a logical calendar.&nbsp; At the same time, major events, one-day meetings and other new competitions must be commercially successful and to do this they must keep up with the ever-increasing expectations of the media, sponsors and audiences. * Facilities &ndash; Around Europe, the stadia required for international competitions are under the threat of disappearing and local government and other owners must be convinced to reverse this trend.&nbsp; For many countries, the provision of the well-equipped facilities and training halls required for high performance athletics and grass roots activities is a priority. * Athlete Development &ndash; This includes all aspects of identifying, training and supporting talented athletes as they move along the performance pathway. The top-class performances across all athletics disciplines and the strengthening the overall performance level of athletics in Europe must create the stars that athletics, like any other sport, needs to attract the attention of large audiences, the media and the sponsors.
Although high-performance athletics is a valuable product, our sport will always be in a constant battle with other sports and other entertainment opportunities.&nbsp; Success in this area can never be taken for granted.&nbsp; Real work is required to address the various issues and hard choices need to be made.
Our vision is that these efforts will lead to a future in which anticipating the next important athletics competition on television, computer, mobile device or any other electronic or printed media becomes an important part of the lives of more and more Europeans.
The Athletics Community
The strength of athletics as a participation sport is built on the sport&rsquo;s simplicity, its accessibility and its values.&nbsp; In Europe we also profit from a strong organisational structure of Member Federations, clubs and other grassroots organisations. Although under-exploited in many countries, these are real differentiators and a comparative advantage.&nbsp; Athletics has proven to be capable of engaging a wider range of active participants and supporters, thereby creating a stronger community than in many other sports.&nbsp; To fully capitalise on these advantages initiatives will be required in the following: * Youth/Schools We must engage future generations and provide them with positive, life-enhancing experiences &ndash; whether competitive achievements or simply having fun and getting fit. Of course, athletics is up against other sports and the many choices young people to spend their time so we must be well organised and creative. * The Running Movement &ndash; We must re-connect to the runners, by far biggest group in athletics. They are diverse in their motivation, commitment, needs, likes and dislikes but in most cases running is important in their lives. We must offer them quality services for their encouragement. * Club Systems - Although systems and circumstances vary from country to country, the main structures for athletics activities are the more than 20,000 European athletics clubs and other grassroots organisations...&nbsp; Strengthening the national systems will help for clubs to deliver more and better services to young people, runners and other groups, and to attract additional resources. * Volunteers &ndash; Like many sports, athletics depends on volunteers and the value of all the sport&rsquo;s television and sponsorship contracts is dwarfed by the value of the time given by individuals of all ages to clubs, events and federations.&nbsp; As a sport, we must be aware of how we manage and renew this resource, particularly among young people, because there are many factors that will erode it.
There is a trend for the agendas of governments, commercial companies and the European Union to embrace values similar to those of athletics. To capitalise on this we must be pro-active as opportunities will emerge for federations, clubs and others in our sport to attract more resources. There must also be changes in the culture of athletics at different levels on how we provide services to different groups.&nbsp; Our vision is that strengthening the Athletics Community leads to athletics being recognised as offering relevance to individuals and society that goes beyond the elite pathway and showcase events, and that the activities involved attract the resources to strengthen our organisational structure at all levels.
PROGRAMME The programme for delivering the Twin-Pillar strategy from 2015 to 2019 comprises actions in five areas: 1) Member Federations, 2) Commercial Strength, 3) Athletes, 4) Competition and 5) Relevance.
Member Federations
The priorities in this area will be measures that aim to increase the financial stability and operational competence of federations. * A strategy and support measures to assist eligible federations in accessing European Union project funding for appropriate projects; * A comprehensive survey of all Member Federations to build understanding of their strengths, challenges and development needs;&nbsp; * A project to audit the anti-doping efforts of Member Federations, national anti-doping agencies and others in each country to improve effectiveness and credibility; * A European Athletics support programme, coordinated with the IAAF, customised for each Member Federation and aimed at e.g. o strengthening club systems, o developing sustainable business models, o robust anti-doping programmes;
* Communications and lobbying by the European Athletics President and Council members and other ambassadors to assist Member Federations in accessing support from their governments and other national agencies for the development of the sport including its facilities.
Commercial Strength The priorities in this area will be to tap the best minds available for their ideas and invest in measures that will alter European Athletics&rsquo; business model by creating new visibility and value.&nbsp; * Empower a new agency to manage the sales of European Athletics sponsorship rights; * New partnerships to create and deliver commercially attractive events; * Public research to understand what audiences and participants think of athletics and what they want (as opposed to what we think they want); * A professionally designed PR, digital and social media strategy; * Special measures to promote athletics in the years when the Olympic Games or World Championships are staged outside Europe; * Aggressive support for potential and confirmed host cities for European Athletics events.
Athletes
The priorities in this area will be measures that give a better deal to talented athletes by increasing the opportunities and support they need to excel and at the same time demonstrate their commitment to the sport and its values. * Financial incentives to attract the best athletes to the European Athletics Championships; * European only events in one-day meetings; * New competition and financial opportunities for European U23 athletes; * Targeted performance initiatives for Europe&rsquo;s weaker disciplines;
* Scholarships to support the post-career development of elite athletes; * Enhanced anti-doping education leading to a &ldquo;driver&rsquo;s license&rdquo; to compete for all youth, junior and U23 athletes; * Increased use of athlete ambassadors for promoting European Athletics events and programmes.
Competition
The priorities in this area will be to work closely with the IAAF and other stakeholders to restructure the international competition system and to deliver measures to help organisers increase the attractiveness their competitions. * Logical annual calendar with a clear narrative linking European one-day meetings and championships. * Fully integrated major events system (including youth, junior and U23 age groups); * Restructured European Team Championships; * Improved timetables and event presentation techniques at championships and other meetings in Europe; * Support for new and special events:
* Small nations event in years with no European Team Championships,
* Street and beach athletics events,
* Europe vs. USA match
* European Half Marathon Championships,
* European Relays. Relevance The priorities in this area will be to develop programmes to reach new audiences, attract new partners and realise the benefits that our leading federations are already enjoying. * Expanded services for joggers, recreational runners and serious club runners to make them feel part of our sport; * Improved school and club programmes to introduce children to athletics and retain them in our sport; * Improved links with the Masters Athletics movement; * Programmes to help federations and clubs serve the health and fitness markets; * Young volunteers programme linked to employability that supports other activities in athletics.

The European Athletics manifesto - the written declaration of the intentions, motives and views of our organisation - is entitled Your Sport for Life.

European Athletics Your Sport For Life

Your Sport For Life

European Athletics Integrity Platform
The European Athletics Integrity Platform is available to allow for anyone to report potential or suspected breaches of the EAA Code of Ethics (which can be downloaded <a href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/downloads/21f7226d-a1d7-4705-a82b-e487939be147/EAA Code of Ethics_May 2021.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>).
People with evidence, or even just concerns, of integrity and good governance shortfalls &ndash; whether it relates to an individual athlete, coach, official or an institution &ndash; can now report these failings, and can do so anonymously with the assurance that they will be examined and investigated by independent legal experts.
The European Athletics Integrity Platform is highly secure and will run independently from the European Athletics website.
It allows anonymous reports but still enables exchanges with the reporter, if needed, through an incident number and a password created, and only known by, the same reporter.
European Athletics staff and officials will have no access to the report submitted and it will be handled by an independent Case Manager, who will further investigate and take the appropriate action which could mean filing the case with the EAA Court, which will perform its tasks in its dual role as the Ethics Commission according to the EAA Court Procedural Rules (which can be downloaded <a href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/downloads/a85933e9-d31c-43fa-accc-df501f452968/EAA Court Procedural Rules_May 2021.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>).
The European Athletics Integrity Platform can be accessed through the following link: <a href="https://european-athletics.integrityplatform.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://european-athletics.integrityplatform.org/</a>
On the platform&rsquo;s main page you can find all the instructions and FAQs to assist in its use.

The European Athletics Integrity Platform is available to allow for anyone to report potential or suspected breaches of the EAA Code of Ethics.

European Athletics Integrity Platform

Head Office

Congress & Convention

Honours

Publications

SPAR has been the principal sponsor of European Athletics since 1996, becoming synonymous with the sport during this period. Athletics is a sport where personal endeavour is combined with team participation to achieve success, and SPAR identifies with this principle through its national partners by ensuring that consumers enjoy shopping at SPAR. SPAR retailers continue to develop the brand through sponsorship awareness and through the critical link with individual athletes who are also customers of independent retailers. SPAR is proud to be involved with European Athletics, an organisation which strives to bring passion and enthusiasm for their sport to viewers, spectators and participants.

SPAR

Eurohold Bulgaria AD is a leading energy and financial group operating mainly in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe (CESEE). It is listed on the Bulgarian and Warsaw Stock Exchange. Eurohold owns Euroins Insurance Group AD (EIG), one of the largest insurance groups in the region. EIG provides a full range of insurance products, serves over 4 million customers in 13 countries and has over 3000 employees.

Eurohold

Joma Sport is the most important Spanish sports brand, with the highest sales volume worldwide, and is among the top ten global brands. It was founded by Fructuoso López in 1965, and it is present in more than 140 countries.

It is present in multiple sports and at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 Joma equipped 15% of the participating athletes. Within athletics, it sponsors important national and international athletes. Furthermore, it is the technical sponsor of national federations and marathons in different parts of the world.

Joma

Le Gruyère AOP Switzerland began its partnership with European Athletics in 2008 as a top-tier sponsor of all Major Events and the European Athletics U23 and U20  Championships. Le Gruyère is a very high quality natural cheese that has been produced for many centuries in an artisanal method without any additives. VIP guests, athletes and fans have the opportunity to taste this magnificent cheese at European Athletics events sponsored by Le Gruyère AOP Switzerland.

Le Gruyère

Toyo Tires is one of the world's largest tire manufacturers. Toyo Tire Corporation was founded in 1945 in Osaka, Japan. In 1975, the manufacturer opened its European headquarters in Germany. The product range includes winter, summer and all-season tyres for motor vehicles as well as van tyres and special off-road products. The philosophy of Toyo Tires is to combine driving pleasure with top performance. This is reflected in each of the products, as well as in its close partnership with European Athletics.

Toyo Tires

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has been the Official Broadcast Partner of European Athletics since 1981. During this 40-year partnership, the outstanding collaboration between both organisations has always been focused on developing European Athletics into a more attractive product for television, spectators and athletes. Through its operational department Eurovision Services, the EBU is continuously working to promote athletics by offering the most comprehensive coverage of European Athletics events all over Europe.

Conica has been developing and manufacturing innovative seamless flooring solutions for sports, games and leisure for over 40 years and is one of the world's market leaders and innovation drivers in this field.  The user-oriented requirements for technical and sports functional performance as well as usability while guaranteeing the health aspects of the material itself, and for the user, are the focus of Conica's product development.  Conica is part of the Serafin group of companies based in Munich, Germany.

Conica

Polanik is a family company, founded by Wiesław Szczepanik in 1966. It produces athletics equipment having over thousand products in the offer. Polanik fully equips stadiums all over the world and handles the highest-level athletics events. Stars of athletics beat world records using Polanik products. Polanik is held in high regard by many for top quality and advisory services for designers and investors of athletics stadiums.

Polanik

Opened in 1909 and magnificently restored, the Hotel Royal Savoy Lausanne combines Art Nouveau and modernity with genuine panache. Featuring tailor-made service and unbeatable comfort, this legendary venue is located a short walk from the shores of Lac Leman and offers every guest the absolute luxury of feeling truly at home. The Hotel Royal Savoy is proud to be the Preferred Hotel Partner of European Athletics in Lausanne since 2016, offering valuable support and accommodation services to European Athletics business activities throughout the year.

Hotel Royal Savoy Lausanne

Getty Images is the world's leading creator and distributor of visual content – with award winning editorial photographers and videographers covering hundreds of Sports, Entertainment, and News events daily. Digital asset management and distribution services optimize efficiency and content syndication for hundreds of media partners and rights holders.

Getty images

The first companies of Würth MODYF Group were founded in Künzelsau, Germany and Neumarkt, Italy in 1997 as an independent subsidiary of the Würth Group and can thus look back on more than 25 years of experience in the field of workwear and safety footwear.

Würth MODYF Group currently operates companies in ten countries and has more than 400 employees in Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and Switzerland. Smaller sales units support Würth MODYF’s customers in Austria, the Netherlands and Belgium. Würth MODYF Group is continuing to expand internationally, opening new branches all over Europe.

Würth MODYF Group

Tracx ERCH 2025

Watergroep ERCH 2025

Stella Artois ERCH 2025

Polestar ERCH 2025

Coca-Cola ERCH 2025

Staatsloterij

Sportnieuws

Ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport

TeamNL

Province of Gelderland

NB ERCH 2025

Athletic Ventures

6D ERCH 2025

Apeldoorn is one of the greenest cities in the Netherlands and among the largest municipalities in Gelderland. It is a mid-size city with a population of approximately 161,000. Apeldoorn has a charming and lively inner city and a young, sports-minded population.

The town is easily accessible by car (A1 motorway) and train. The proximity of large cities such as Utrecht (59 kilometre) and Amsterdam (75 kilometre) and its space and tranquillity make Apeldoorn one of the most popular cities in the Netherlands. The area mainly consists of woods and heath-lands and is a popular destination for tourism, in particular hiking and cycling.

The Dutch royal family has always had close ties with the city. Apeldoorn is home to the stately Loo Palace, the former summer residence of the Dutch royal family and nowadays a national museum. Apeldoorn is possibly the most athletic-minded city in the Netherlands.