The International Fair Play Committee –CIFP-, in cooperation with World Athletics, has opened the nomination process to highlight the most outstanding acts of fair play in athletics in 2025, just ahead of the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025. The award will be presented at the World Athletics Awards later this year, in a framework designed to showcase the integrity and core values of sport while strengthening the federation’s bond with its fans.
Nominations cover all World Athletics Series –WAS– events and Continental Tour competitions throughout the year. Once the international calendar concludes, a jury of experts will review the submissions and select a shortlist of five fair play moments that reflect the essence of athletics as an open, accessible sport closely connected with its global following.
The jury includes Mark Butler, athletics statistician; Paula Radcliffe, former marathon world record-holder; Jon Ridgeon, World Athletics CEO; Anna Ryzhykova, member of the Athletes’ Commission; Sunil Sabharwal, President of the CIFP; and Sander Skotheim, last year’s award winner.
A joint jury of World Athletics and the CIFP
Following the pre-selection, the final decision will combine both the jury’s votes and fan participation, with supporters able to cast their votes via World Athletics’ official social media channels. This inclusive approach strengthens ties between the federation and its global audience, ensuring that recognition extends beyond performance to values that define the sport.
Nominations can be submitted by email to fairplayaward@worldathletics.org, with the aim of recognising athletes and moments that highlight the essential principles of athletics.
From Paris 2003 to Tokyo 2025: two decades of collaboration
Last year’s award went to Norwegian decathlete Sander Skotheim, honoured for his behaviour at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Despite losing his chance for a medal after a no-height in the pole vault, he chose to continue competing and supported his compatriot Markus Rooth, who went on to claim the Olympic title. The gesture, widely shared, illustrated athletics’ unique ability to generate stories that resonate with fans well beyond results.
The CIFP, with more than six decades of history, continues its mission to uphold fair play in international sport, in line with the principles of Olympism. Its first collaboration with World Athletics dates back to the 2003 World Championships in Paris, and twelve awards have since been jointly presented. The continuation of this initiative consolidates the federation’s position not only as a competitive authority but also as a promoter of values that strengthen its relationship with the athletics community.
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