Sustainability in athletics is often discussed in big-picture terms, but at European Athletics events, progress is increasingly being driven by practical decisions on the ground.
From transport and catering to social legacy and community partnerships, sustainability is becoming part of how championships are planned and delivered – as a responsibility shared across every functional area.
This shift is guided by European Athletics’ Sustainability Roadmap, which helps Member Federations and Local Organising Committees (LOCs) align sustainability ambitions with the specific needs of their host city and region.
Rather than asking every event to follow the same blueprint, the focus is on relevance, practicality and accountability. As one of the core principles puts it: bidding is binding. Sustainability commitments made during the host city bidding process are expected to translate into real action once the event begins.
Importantly, the goal is not to overwhelm organisers with rigid demands, but to support them in embedding achievable, meaningful initiatives. European Athletics works closely with LOCs to review their original sustainability ambitions and identify what makes the most sense within their local context.
That could mean working with existing city infrastructure, building partnerships with local transport providers or focusing on the environmental and social priorities already established by the host municipality. The simple message is that there is no need to reinvent the wheel.
Maribor - a model for small events
The 2025 European Athletics Team Championships 2nd and 3rd Division in Maribor, Slovenia offered one of the strongest examples of this approach in action. Despite being a relatively small event, the organisers delivered a comprehensive sustainability plan that touched environmental, social and economic impact.
All teams shared a single catering space next to the stadium, reducing unnecessary transport and creating a more efficient food system. Local products were prioritised, leftovers were repurposed into soups and ravioli, and food waste was kept to a minimum.
Plastic use was almost entirely eliminated, while stronger recycling systems supported the very few unavoidable single-use items.
Transport was another major focus. Athletes and teams were encouraged to use public transport, with some federations choosing to travel by bus, while others used Maribor’s cable car system for local mobility.
The LOC also partnered with Slovenia’s national rail network to offer discounted train travel between Ljubljana and Maribor, making lower-impact travel a more attractive option for participants and visitors alike.
Social sustainability was embedded too, with a strong emphasis on diversity and inclusion through the volunteer programme, while local athletes helped promote sustainability actions and community engagement.
Maribor also appointed a dedicated sustainability specialist, allowing the event to produce detailed reporting and measurable outcomes – from waste reduction figures to transport savings – helping make sustainability visible and tangible rather than abstract.
Different cities, different solutions
Other events have approached sustainability through equally local and distinctive lenses. Antalya’s SPAR European Cross Country Championships focused on urban redevelopment and beach cleaning, creating a lasting environmental legacy for the host city.
Lagoa expanded on that model through afforestation initiatives, including the planting of more than 500 drought-resistant trees and symbolic tree planting linked to the event itself. Apeldoorn’s social legacy campaign, Moving People, focused on community impact beyond competition, while Bergen’s sustainability planning was built around the wider needs of the city and surrounding communities.
Leaving a legacy beyond competition
Across all of these events, the same principle applies: sustainability is most effective when it is integrated, practical and locally meaningful. It is not about forcing every host city into the same model, but about helping organisers move slightly further than they might have otherwise – and proving that even small changes, when designed well, can create long-term impact.
As European Athletics continues to develop its Sustainability Programme, the ambition is that championships should leave more than medals and records behind.
They should help create more resilient communities – places better equipped to respond to environmental, social and economic challenges, from extreme weather events to changing urban demands.
In that sense, sustainability is not simply about reducing impact in the moment, but about strengthening systems, supporting long-term wellbeing and leaving a legacy that lasts well beyond the finish line.