Members of five European Athletics Commissions met in recent weeks to make review developments, tackle ongoing challenges, and address recommendations to Executive Board and Council on the shape the sport’s trajectory in Europe.
The Commission meetings were the Events & Competition Commission (3–4 April), the Governance & Integrity Commission (7–8 April), the Athletes’ Committee (1 April) the Medical and Anti-doping Commission (20—21 March) the Development Commission (27 March).
Dobromir Karamarinov, President, European Athletics said: “The European Athletics Strategic Roadmap defines our shared vision for the future, focusing on three key pillars: competition, digitalisation & innovation, and community.
"Our Commissions and Committee are at the core of turning this vision into reality. Through their knowledge, proposals, and recommendations, they provide the foundation for informed decision-making and sustainable progress”.
Christian Milz, CEO, European Athletics said: “We are grateful for the ongoing work of commissions to lead their way in their respective areas in an evolving environment for our sport."
Events and Competition Commission
The Events and Competition Commission’s discussions centred on evolving the athletics event landscape, with a particular focus on the Road to Birmingham 2026 qualification system and the potential inclusion of a 4x100m Mixed Relay event.
Further efforts to revamp mountain and trail running under the European Off-Road Championships were explored, as part of a broader strategy to modernise the competition portfolio.
Aligning the European and Global calendars also featured prominently in the discussions, with the aim of ensuring strategic positioning and avoid scheduling conflicts.
In parallel, regulatory updates and proposed changes to European Athletics' competition rules were considered—underscoring the Commission’s active pursuit of modernisation.
The Technical Officials and Competition working groups presented key learnings from recent events, including the Apeldoorn 2025 European Athletics Indoor Championships, and highlighted the importance of strengthening the roles and preparation of technical officials.
Commission Chair Cherry Alexander said: “Brainstorming and strategic initiatives were also given space, including timetable optimisation, technology innovations and evaluating the ongoing viability of European Athletics events and raising the profile of team competitions such as the European Team Championships and European Club Championships for U20s, Seniors and Cross Country.
Governance and Integrity Commission
The Governance and Integrity Commission focused on maintaining trust and ethical leadership. Updates from World Athletics and internal governance bodies helped set the tone for reviewing and amendments of the EA Constitution, Code of Ethics, and review of the Safeguarding Policy, while also working on candidacy and election regulations.
The meeting highlighted that significant preparatory work for this year’s European Athletics Congress in Batumi, Georgia, on 25 October is already well underway, laying the foundation for important discussions and decisions later this year.
Working groups reported on areas such as Member Federations' governance education, a Human Rights implementation roadmap, and the rollout of a comprehensive Safeguarding Plan (2025–2026). These initiatives signal a robust framework for athlete welfare, inclusivity, and transparent operations.
Integrity efforts also included an update on the European Athletics whistle-blower platform and discussions on further improvements of the I RUN CLEAN programme.
Commission Chair Jean Gracia commented: “The Governance and Integrity Commission continued its dedicated work on advancing the principles of good governance—both within European Athletics and across its Member Federations.
“Our focus remains on education for our Member Federations and Local Organising Committees—particularly in the areas of governance, human rights, and safeguarding. The Commission has approved comprehensive educational plans, and under the ‘Race for Respect’ slogan, we will continue to raise awareness and strengthen reporting mechanisms.
Medical and Anti-doping Commission
Chair Pedro Branco reported from the Medical and Anti-doping commission, saying “During the extensive discussions, the commission reviewed the most relevant topics and activities in the medical and anti-doping area and among others, approved the guidelines about the responsible usage and discarding of needles at European Athletics events and designed the testing programme for European Athletics events taking place in 2026.
The commission also reflected on the key learnings from the WADA Symposium 2025 and reviewed the provisional results of the Injury and Illness study conducted on the side lines of the European Athletics Indoor Championships held in Apeldoorn.”
Athlete Committee
Not in person but online the Athletes Committee members met to review survey result run after the successful European Athletics Indoor Championships and the chair Lea Sprunger said:
“At each of our meetings, our main mission is to find the optimum activation to help put the athletes in the spotlight. We strive to develop a close link with our communities to serve and educate them better. Our next mission is to set up an informative newsletter."
Development Commission
The Development Commission, chaired by Karin Grute Movin, convened to align on key strategic priorities for the future of athletics development. The meeting centred around youth engagement, sustainability, innovation, and inclusive leadership.
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A major shift saw youth development responsibilities transition from the Youth Advisory Group to the Commission. Sustainability was a strong theme. The Commission explored potential ISO 14001 certification, emphasized digital over print communication, and presented tools such as a new sustainability assessment framework.
The rising impact of AI, sustainability, and diversity in sport as well as importance of fan engagement through data-driven strategies, using social media insights to shape future offerings were covered as well.
Other updates included preparations for the High Performance Conference in Madrid and enhancements to the Coach Networking Project. The refined Member Federation Support Programme will simplify applications and offer targeted guidance.
Leadership development remains central, with continued progress in the Future Leaders, Gender Leadership, and Mentoring Programmes. ‘Athletics for All’ activities were also reviewed, with a focus on growing reach and impact.
“Our commitment to sustainable, inclusive, and innovative development remains stronger than ever,” said Chair Karin Grute Movin.