 Bolt could prove a huge draw with global audiences
|
Plans to radically rejuvenate athletics have been revealed by the sport's governing body (IAAF) with a new global league set to kick off in 2010.
The Diamond League will see the likes of sprinters Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell compete in 12 meetings a year across Europe, Asia and the US.
The London Grand Prix and British Grand Prix - possibly in Birmingham or Gateshead - will be Britain's meetings.
The existing six Golden League events in Europe will be replaced.
The new league has secured 12 meetings by adding two events in the US, one in China, with a possible extension into the Middle East.
London 2012 boss Sebastian Coe and his fellow IAAF vice-presidents met with president Lamine Diack on Sunday to finalise the plans.
Facing fierce competition from other sports, such as cricket and football, as well as the added burdens of the current economic conditions, the IAAF is desperate to appeal to new audiences and expand outside Europe.
Currently many elite athletes clash only a limited number of times a year and occasionally just at world championships or Olympics.
The new proposals will have the sport's biggest stars, such as Olympic champions Bolt and pole vaulter Yelena Isinabyeva, being engaged with centralised contracts and asked to commit to appearing at a minimum number of events.
The final composition of the league will be confirmed at the end of the 2009 season.
 |
606: DEBATE
|
The Aviva London Grand Prix and the Aviva British Grand Prix will be the two British meetings in the new league.
This could go some way to solving legacy plans for London's 2012 stadium which has been hit with rising costs, as well as football and rugby clubs opting against moving in.
Up until 2012 the London venue would be the Crystal Palace athletics track, but after the London Games, Diamond League organisers could be keen to secure a more modern arena with the east London stadium an obvious candidate.
UKA chief executive Niels de Vos told the UKA website: "I am personally hugely excited by this. This gives athletics a truly global annual showcase, that will have editorial relevance from May right through to September.
"From a British perspective, we are going to be at the heart of the Diamond League with the Aviva London Grand Prix and Aviva British Grand Prix. For our athletes it will provide great opportunities to compete in regular top flight competition as we build towards the London Olympics in 2012."
Other innovations in the new league will see athletes from 32 different athletics events taking part with all disciplines having equal prize money with each meeting giving out $416,000.
 Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu would be another star attraction
|
There will also be a IAAF 'Diamond Race' in each event, with points available throughout the season. The athlete with the most points at the end of the series will be awarded a four-carat diamond worth around $80,000.
Four of the current Golden League meets - Brussels, Zurich, Oslo and Paris - will be part of the new series, with the two others, Berlin and Rome, still to be confirmed. The Grand Prix in Doha, Qatar is also still to be confirmed.
Ahead of the weekend's discussions, Lord Coe told the Observer: "No change is not an option. If we don't change we die, that's the reality of it."
IAAF vice-president Diack said: "I am delighted that the IAAF has come up with a new professional circuit which will offer an easily understandable series of meetings to provide world class entertainment and also offer the maximum number of competition opportunities for a maximum number of athletes in different events.
"We will be able to offer top class events that are based on solid financial foundations, provide the best organisational capability and serve to promote and develop the sport of athletics."
No comments:
Post a Comment