Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Founded in 1912 in Stockholm, World Athletics (formerly the IAAF) is the global governing body for athletics. Its mission is to establish rules, recognize records, and organize international competitions. With 214 Member Federations, World Athletics is one of the largest sports federations focused on athletics worldwide.
Athletics includes diverse disciplines: track events (sprints, middle and long distance, hurdles, relays), field events (jumps, throws), road races (such as 5km and marathons), race walking, and cross country, trail, and mountain running. These events take place in stadiums, schools, city centers, parks, and communities across the globe.
World Athletics organizes major competitions, including the World Athletics Championships, which draws over 2,000 athletes from more than 200 nations. This event ranks among the world’s largest and most diverse sporting championships, second only to the Olympic Games in global impact. Other events include the World Athletics Series, Ultimate Championship, Wanda Diamond League, Continental Tour, and World Indoor Tour, all fostering top-level competition.
World Athletics aims to make athletics accessible everywhere and inspire participation at all levels, from grassroots to elite performance. The organization continues to innovate with new formats to keep the sport dynamic and appealing to new generations.