The ISTAF in Berlin has been given the green light to go ahead on 13 September by the relevant authorities and the organisers are planning to admit up to 3500 spectators into the Olympic Stadium which played host to the 2018 European Championships.
Two gold medal winners from the 2018 European Championships have already been confirmed for the ISTAF: Sweden’s Armand Duplantis and Germany’s Gesa Felicitas Krause.
Duplantis famously soared to a 6.05m clearance in the pole vault at the age of 18 while Krause won back-to-back titles in the 3000m steeplechase, Germany’s only track gold medal in Berlin. More big names will be announced in the upcoming weeks.
Meeting director Martin Seeber said: “Our goal is to use ISTAF to set an example for sport and to be a beacon for athletics. Together with our partners, we want to show that we are there for fans and athletes even in difficult times. 3500 instead of 45,000 spectators - the ISTAF will certainly be different this time. But it may be a first small step back to normal.”
The programme is currently made up of nine events: the women’s 100m, 100m hurdles, long jump and 2000m steeplechase and the men’s 100m, 110m hurdles, pole vault, discus and javelin.
The ISTAF is a World Athletics Continental Tour Silver Meeting, one of four meetings in Europe which are still due to take place this year along with Chorzow (25 August), Rovereto (8 September) and Samorin (11 September).