Members of the European Athletics Development Commission gathered at Papendal, the Netherlands’ national Olympic training centre, from 5–7 March for a working meeting focused on strengthening support for Member Federations and advancing key development initiatives across the continent.
Hosted at the elite training complex near Arnhem, the three-day meeting combined strategic discussions, collaborative workshops and presentations from European Athletics, World Athletics and Dutch representatives.
The meeting opened on Friday morning with a welcome from Commission Chair Karin Grute Movin, setting the tone for discussions on how European Athletics can further strengthen its development activities and deliver practical support to Member Federations.
Supporting Federations
A key topic was the Member Federation Support Programme for 2026–2027, with updates provided on how the grant programme can be used to enhance athletics development across Europe.
The discussion focused on ensuring that federations can effectively implement projects that grow participation, strengthen structures and support athlete pathways.
Fan engagement was another central theme of the meeting. Commission members took part in a presentation followed by a workshop examining how athletics can connect with new audiences and strengthen the relationship between fans and the sport.
The interactive session allowed members to share experiences from their respective federations and explore innovative approaches to engaging communities across Europe.
The programme also included presentations from representatives of Dutch athletics and World Athletics, providing insight into national development strategies and global initiatives designed to support the growth of the sport.
In the afternoon, the Commission split into working groups to examine two important areas for the future of athletics development: sustainability and health and wellbeing.
Safety, health and wellbeing
Discussions addressed how athletics can strengthen its contribution to wider societal goals while ensuring safe, healthy environments for athletes and participants. Outcomes from the working groups were presented back to the full Commission to identify priorities and next steps.
Participants also had the opportunity to tour the Papendal facilities, gaining insight into one of Europe’s leading high-performance training environments.
Saturday’s programme focused on implementation and practical follow-up. Further working groups addressed high-performance development and community initiatives, including topics such as the continuation of the high-performance webinar series, planning for a potential 2027 high-performance conference, and initiatives aimed at strengthening leadership and mentoring within athletics communities.
The meeting brought together Development Commission members alongside European Athletics staff, including CEO Christian Milz, Director of Development & Administration Sylvain Jolliet and development staff working closely with the Commission. Representatives from World Athletics and the host federation also contributed to the discussions.
With a strong focus on collaboration and practical outcomes, the Papendal meeting provided an important opportunity to align priorities and further develop initiatives that will support athletics communities and federations across Europe in the coming years.
The Commission will continue its work through a series of follow-up meetings later in the year.