Athletics
IAAF CHANGES NAME TO WORLD ATHLETICS
BY DUNCAN MACKAY, Hotel Sheraton Grand Doha
A proposal to change the name of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to World Athletics was officially approved by the governing body’s Congress on Thursday.
It was however not a unanimous decision as opposition came from some countries.
The name change, originally proposed by the IAAF Council in June, in a bid to make the sport more accessible became a matter of debate during the second day of the sport’s biannual meeting.
What was expected to be a formality to change the name to make it compatible with Monegasque law, led to a number of delegates from French-speaking countries warning they were against the plan because it did not work very well in their language.
Other critics claimed it meant a loss of identity.
Sebastian Coe, officially re-elected as IAAF President for a second four-year term yesterday, told the Congress that the change was necessary to help make the sport more appealing to youngsters.
“As long as I can remember, and certainly since becoming an IAAF Council member in 2003, whenever anyone has asked me what organisation I am involved with, it then takes three or four minutes to explain what it means,” he said.
“The work we have done around the brand is detailed.
“Even without it currently existing, it had a higher recognition brand rate than the IAAF and the International Olympic Committee.
“We need to be able to embrace not only being a world sport, but crucially we need to be mindful of the growing nature of our sport.
“We listen to broadcasters, media partners, the fans, the athletes – and we do genuinely believe this will help us engage with more young people.”
The new name and brand identity is due to be officially adopted after the IAAF World Championships, starting in the Qatar capital tomorrow.
The IAAF was founded in 1912 as the International Amateur Athletic Federation but changed its name to the International Association of Athletics Federations in 2001 to reflect the non-amateur status of top competitors.
Adille Sumariwalla, the Indian who heads the IAAF Strategic Communications Advisory Group, told the Congress that the decision to change the name was required to keep pace with the changing media landscape.
“We feel the population that follows athletics is an ageing one and we need to encourage the youth,” he said.
“We think World Athletics is easier and simpler to understand.”
A new logo, consisting of three main elements, has already been launched to support the name-change.
The “W” of World is a symbol of an athlete’s arms raised in victory, while the “A” of Athletics represents an athlete’s focus as they prepare for the road ahead.
The arc over both letters represents the entire athletics community coming together.
A running track also appears in an upward trajectory, symbolising the desire to continually push beyond limits.
The patterns capture the energy present in all four of athletics’ group disciplines, which are running, jumping, throwing and walking.
The IAAF claims the rebrand builds upon the organisation’s restructuring and governance reform agenda to represent a modern, creative and positive face for the sport, while breaking away from the past.
The IAAF has been embroiled in scandal almost since Coe was first elected President in August 2015, following the arrest of predecessor Lamine Diack on allegations of corruption and helping Russian athletes avoid suspensions after failing drugs tests.
In addition, Russia has been banned from international competition since November 2015 since being found guilty of state-sponsored doping.
The London Marathon broke the record for the highest number of finishers in a marathon, with 59,830 participants completing the course to surpass the mark of 59,226 at last year’s New York City event.
Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe shattered the world record to become the first man to run the marathon in under two hours, followed by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who also breached the two-hour barrier on Sunday.
“To then break the record of the largest number of finishers in the history of marathons underlines the inspirational nature of the London Marathon. We are incredibly proud to have set a new Guinness World Record,” said Hugh Brasher, CEO of London Marathon Events.
In the women’s race, three women ran under two hours and 16 minutes in a single race for the first time ever, as Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa defended her title by shattering her own women ‘s-only world record
-Reuters
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Nigeria has aligned with the global athletics community in supporting World Athletics’ decision to reject 11 applications for nationality transfer to Türkiye, a move that includes sprinter Favour Ofili and signals a broader clampdown on the recruitment of foreign athletes.
Diamond League – Final – Zurich – Zurich, Switzerland – August 27, 2025 Jamaica’s Rajindra Campbell in action during the men’s shot put final REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth
The ruling, announced on Thursday by World Athletics’ Nationality Review Panel, affects athletes from multiple countries and was based on findings that the applications were part of a coordinated, government-backed effort to bolster Türkiye’s international competitiveness ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Rather than a single case, Ofili’s situation forms part of a wider group that includes five Kenyan athletes — among them former marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei — and four Jamaicans, including Olympic medallists Roje Stona and Rajindra Campbell. Russian heptathlete Sophia Yakushina was also among those denied eligibility.
Paris 2024 Olympics – Athletics – Men’s Discus Throw Victory Ceremony – Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France – August 08, 2024. Gold medallist Roje Stona of Jamaica celebrates on the podium. REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigie
London Marathon 2024 – Women’s Elite Press Conference – London, Britain – April 18, 2024 Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei poses for a photograph ahead of the London Marathon REUTERS/Peter Cziborra/File Photo
World Athletics stated that approving the applications would undermine key principles guiding the transfer of allegiance, particularly the need to maintain the integrity and credibility of national representation in global competitions.
“The panel found that the applications formed part of a coordinated recruitment strategy… to attract overseas athletes through lucrative contracts,” the governing body said.
For Nigeria, the decision is being viewed not as an isolated intervention but as part of a wider effort to protect countries that invest in developing athletes from grassroots to elite level, only to risk losing them to wealthier nations offering financial incentives.
Officials note that the rejection highlights growing concerns about the commercialisation of national allegiance in sport, where athletes are increasingly targeted through structured programmes designed to fast-track international success.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has previously warned against such trends, stressing that nationality transfers must reflect genuine national ties rather than transactional arrangements.
The regulations governing athlete transfers were tightened in 2019 to prevent abuse and ensure fairness, following increasing cases of athletes switching allegiance under financially driven circumstances.
Although the applications were rejected, World Athletics clarified that the affected athletes — including Ofili — remain eligible to compete in one-day meetings, road races and club competitions, as well as live and train in Türkiye. However, they are barred from representing the country at major championships such as the Olympic Games and World Championships.
The decision is widely seen as a significant moment for global athletics, reinforcing the principle that national representation should be built on identity and development rather than financial inducement.
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A former president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Chief Solomon Ogba, has commended World Athletics for rejecting the application by Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili to switch allegiance to Türkiye.
World Athletics, through its Nationality Review Panel, on Thursday turned down Ofili’s request to represent the European nation, citing concerns over the integrity of international competitions and the growing trend of athlete recruitment driven by financial incentives.
Reacting to the decision, Ogba described the ruling as a victory for fairness and a strong message in defence of developing nations that invest heavily in nurturing athletic talent.
“This is justice not just for Nigeria but for many developing countries that work tirelessly to groom athletes, only for them to be lured away by wealthier nations,” Ogba said.
The panel, in its report, noted that granting the transfer would undermine key principles, including safeguarding the credibility of national representation and discouraging the systematic recruitment of foreign athletes for global competitions.
Ofili’s case was one of 11 applications submitted by the Turkish Athletics Federation, which World Athletics linked to a broader government-backed strategy to strengthen its team ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Despite having obtained Turkish citizenship and signing a lucrative club contract, Ofili remains ineligible to compete for Türkiye in major competitions such as the World Championships and the Olympic Games.
Ogba singled out World Athletics President Sebastian Coe for praise, describing him as a consistent ally of developing countries.
“How can a country nurture an athlete from grassroots level to elite status, only for another nation that showed no prior interest to come with financial inducements and take them away? It is unfair and must be discouraged,” he said.
The former AFN boss also advised athletes to remain focused and avoid making career decisions driven solely by short-term financial gains. He cited global stars such as Usain Bolt, Julien Alfred, and Eliud Kipchoge, who achieved success while representing their home countries.
Ogba further warned athletes against external pressures from managers and associates, urging them to consider the long-term implications of switching nationality.
“Many athletes who left Nigeria often return after retirement seeking support. The reality is that your home country offers opportunities beyond competition — as coaches, administrators, and mentors,” he added.
He concluded by urging Nigerian athletes to remain loyal and committed, stressing that while opportunities abroad may appear attractive, long-term security and identity remain tied to their country of origin.
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