The Council of World Athletics met in Tokyo for its 238th session, on the eve of the upcoming World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, with a clear focus: to project the future of the sport towards solid and sustainable growth. The president of World Athletics, Sebastian Coe, reminded the council members that time is pressing, since in two years several of them will end their terms, which makes the present a decisive stage to consolidate the progress achieved and deliver a stronger legacy than the one received. In this context, growth is not just an ideal, but a reality that is already transforming the organization and its global impact.
This path is not free of risks, and that is why the federation has structured a four-year strategy, complemented by an eight-year Global Plan, which seeks to provide strength to every step. Coe stressed that the foundations of progress are clear: financial stability, strong brand identity, excellence in communication, transparency, and a solid human development plan. The message is clear: athletics has the ambition to grow, but also the responsibility to prioritize, adapt, and make strategic decisions that allow for significant and sustainable progress.
Innovation with a vision of the future
One of the tangible examples of this commitment is the creation of the World Athletics Ultimate Championships, scheduled for 2026 in Budapest. This new format is born with the intention that each season ends with a prestigious event that not only has great sporting value but also emotional and cultural significance for athletes, fans, and media. Its compact design, with sessions that guarantee constant action and direct finals, promises not only to raise competitiveness but also to connect more deeply with the global audience, keeping the excitement at the highest level.
The message behind this project reflects the spirit of renewal that World Athletics seeks: it is not only about organizing competitions but about redefining the athletics experience for new generations. This effort to innovate and offer an attractive product speaks of a federation that understands the need to evolve, to remain relevant in a highly competitive sports world, and that, at the same time, does not lose sight of its essence: giving athletes the spotlight.
Commitment to equity and sporting evolution
Growth also means facing sensitive challenges, such as the implementation of the new SRY tests to guarantee fairness in the women’s category. Coe highlighted that more than 95% of these tests have already been completed and thanked the federations for their collaboration in advancing a process that, beyond the technical aspect, responds to a fundamental principle: protecting the integrity of women’s competitions. This measure, still under development, marks a milestone in the pursuit of a fairer, more balanced, and more respectful sport.
In parallel, the Council approved updates to the classification systems and competition formats, which will come into effect starting in 2026. Among them are changes to the world ranking, aimed at greater balance between competition levels, and the introduction of innovations such as the mixed 4×100 m relay with a fixed man-woman-man-woman order, as well as new dynamics in indoor 400 and 800-meter events. All these modifications share the same goal: to improve the experience of athletes and spectators and to project a more dynamic, inclusive, and future-connected athletics.
