WORLD Athletics, the global governing body for track and field, has put out a calendar that covers the next four years, 2021-2024, for national associations to safely host their individual championships.

In recent years there have been several clashes between national associations and event organisers regarding the availability of athletes who were being forced into making uncomfortable decisions.

With sponsors and meet organisers demanding the presence of athletes and national organisations refusing to give automatic eligibility to athletes who don’t show up for their National Athletics Championships, tensions have been rising in the sport.

The world governing body has now intervened with the provision of a calendar designed to ensure that there are no clashes for athletes within specific regions and within specific times.

For next year, 2021, there are two protected National Championships windows, June 5 and 6, and June 26 and 27. For 2022 only one window has been officially earmarked, June 25 and 26.

The years 2023 and 2024 have been designated with the same dates of July 8 and 9 for window one and June 29 and 30 for window two.

World Athletics has stated that “these protected windows mean that the member federations in Europe, North America and the Caribbean and North Africa can plan their National Championships on these weekends, free in the knowledge that there will be no clashes with Wanda Diamond League, or Continental Tour gold, silver or bronze international meetings”.

There are other regions that are yet to receive their calendar, but World Athletics says those are being worked on at the moment.

“The Global Calendar Unit is working on similar suitable arrangements with Asia, South America, Southern Africa and Oceania to ensure the optimisation of the calendar in those continental areas,” the CEO of World Athletics, Jon Ridgeon, said.

— Dwayne Richards