The European Athletics Convention 2024 closed on Saturday (26) in Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia as European Athletics President Dobromir Karamarinov thanked the Local Organising Committee and thanked the Member Federations.
“With workshops, meetings, and forums, this convention unites our members, celebrating our shared commitment to athletics,” he said.
The tone was set for the second and final day with the Leaders Forum hosted by the President in the presence of World Athletics President Sebastian Coe and leaders from 48 member federations.
"The bar is getting higher"
It opened with European Athletics CEO Christian Milz charting the progress on the European Athletics Strategic Roadmap 2024-27 in the key priority areas of Competition, Digitalisation and Innovation and Community.
And setting the course for greater ambition. “The bar is getting higher and higher year on year and like Tamberi we must meet the challenge,” he said.
AI insight for members
There was a joint presentation from Emma Cook of BBC Sport and Frederic Sanz from the EBU demonstrating the broad appeal of athletics and the multi-platform approach that is engaging audiences.
Next up, Traian Rus, CEO of TEC delivered an eagerly anticipated session on “How AI can serve athletics,” explaining the steps towards harnessing AI for good. “I don’t know the future. I didn’t come here to tell you how this is going to end. I came here to tell you how it’s going to begin,” he said.
Then Raúl Chapado Serrano, President and Sara Sánchez Muñiz of the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation (RFEA) introduced the “Active Running Cities” programme which is being introduced as a scalable legacy project at the Madrid 2025 European Athletics Championships.
European Running Championships to speak to masses
The day also included a presentation on the inaugural European Running Championships in Brussels-Leuven on 12-13 April where regular runners willl have the opportunity to score for their home nation alongside elite athletes. Around 25,000 runners will be competing.
Presenters Marko Vasic and Thomas Huyberechts urged Member Federations to "Define your National Racing Team as a product that speaks to the masses."
Growth in quality, says Coe
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe, a longtime supporter of these conventions, underscored the gathering’s importance. “These conventions have grown in quality and depth, diving into critical issues for future-proofing our sport.
“It’s a reminder of what makes athletics so special, and of course, an opportunity to reflect on our history and the enjoyment the sport brings,” he said. President Karamarinov concluded: “This convention is a powerful reminder of what the European athletics family can achieve together.”