Mozambique and Nigeria earmarked for Kids’ Athletics Programme in 2011

The International Associations of Athletics Federations (IAAF), in conjuction with other partners such as IPC and UK Sports is set to implement the Kids' Athletics Programme in Jordan, Mozambique and Nigeria in the year 2010 / 2011.

This initiative, which will serve as part ‘London 2010's International Inspiration Programme' aimed at schools and communities across the world - particularly in 20 developing countries, was confirmed at the end of the IAAF Council meeting in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine at the weekend.

A meeting was held at the IAAF's Monaco HQ on June 18, 2010 to start the cooperation process between the organisations involved.

Uganda is another African country to have benefitted from the initiative. The IAAF, the Ministry of Education and Sports and the Uganda Athletics Federation have signed a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement to develop the Kids' Athletics programme within the Ugandan primary schools.

In June 2010, the IAAF organised a local lecturers' course for 35 candidates in close cooperation. The newly trained lecturers should now start to train PE teachers who will be in charge of implementing the Kids' Athletics programme in all the schools of their provinces.

Other programmes that took place around the World during the past year include:

• Greece: Kids' Athletics Seminar (20 - 21 March 2010)
• Oman: Kids' Athletics Seminar (6 - 7 April 2010)
• Haiti: In an effort to help reconstruction efforts in the devastated Caribbean nation, 10 kits of Kids Athletics have been shipped to Port-au-Prince. The IAAF also agreed to support training courses for Kids Athletics' instructors.

Since March 2010, the following Member Federations or Regional Development Centres have been provided with one or more Kids' Athletics Kit:

• GREECE (2 KA Kits),
• RDC Dakar (1 '13-15' Kit),
• RDC Moscow (1 '13-15' Kit),
• GRENADA (1 KA Kit),
• UGANDA (5 KA Kits),
• HAITI(10 KA Kits),
• BAHAMAS (1 KA Kit),
• RDC San Juan (1 '13-15' Kit),
• RDC Jakarta (1 '13-15' Kit),
• RDC Cairo (1 '13-15' Kit),
• RDC Beijing (1 '13-15' Kit),
• RDC Gold Coast (1 '13-15' Kit),
• RDC Santa Fe (1 '13-15' Kit)
• RDC Nairobi (1 '13-15' Kit).

Fallout of the Council meeting

IAAF President Lamine Diack summarised the Council deliberations thus: "Following our last Council meeting, in Doha in March, the IAAF management took a hard look at the IAAF's financial status in a time of economic uncertainty, with the aim to ensure that we could cut costs but also consider new revenue sources.

"I am delighted that the Council accepted that a great effort had been made, led by the Treasurer Jean Poczubut and supported by each IAAF department, to reduce costs significantly.

"The important point is that we have done this without damaging the IAAF's core business or fundamental projects which count as an investment in our future.

"I am also glad to announce that the IAAF was able to bring in a new title sponsor for the IAAF Diamond League, starting already in 2010, which adds millions to our annual income.

"Without going into specific details, I want to underline the fact that the IAAF will have a better balance of income and expenditure and never less than 50 million dollars in capital reserves, until 2015 at least.

"I am also happy that the improved strength of the dollar compared to the euro has also helped us to save money on our administration costs. We have not needed to cut the prize money offered at IAAF and we will first look to reduce staff costs by a reassessment of roles and careful restructuring, rather than layoffs. All in all, we can have real confidence in our future."

The Council approved the following schedule for the bid procedure for IAAF World Championships in Athletics 2017:

• January 2011: Official opening - announcement to member federations by Circular
• 31 March 2011: member to submit Letter of Intent.
• 1 September 2011: member to return the dully signed EOA and the Application Form.
• July: Information to the candidates in Monaco.
• September 2011: Evaluation of the bids by exchange of correspondence.
• October 2011: 48-hours Evaluation Visit paid by the "Evaluation Commission".
• November 2011: delegations of the Bidding Cities will present their candidatures to the IAAF Council and the host of the Championships will be chosen.