World Athletics Sets New Sustainability Benchmark

World Athletics has unveiled its first annual review of events evaluated against the 'Athletics for a Better World' standard, which aims to reduce environmental impact and boost social and economic benefits. This benchmark initiative assesses events across five tiers of achievement: platinum, gold, silver, bronze, and recognized.

The World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow and the Oslo Bislett Games were awarded the highest distinction of platinum status, while the Hypo-Meeting in Gotzis, Austria, and the Weltklasse Zurich received gold recognition. The report analyzed data from 102 events in 36 countries, revealing that 48 events achieved one of the five levels.

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe emphasized the complexity and demands of integrating sustainable practices, noting that it requires additional time and resources. He acknowledged the challenges in implementing such changes, asserting that evolution is necessary for the sport's future. Once fully adopted, the ABW standard could apply to about 500 athletics events, making it a significant sustainability evaluation system in the sports industry.