This year marks a significant milestone as the European Athletics Future Leaders Programme celebrates 20 years since its launch at the 2006 European Athletics Championships in Gothenburg.
What began as a biennial forum has evolved into a long-term leadership pathway that continues to shape the future of the sport.
So, as we look towards the 2026 edition of the Future Leaders Forum which will take place in Birmingham from 12–17 August, the Future Leaders Focus series meets some of the past Future Leaders who have since established their career in athletics. First up is Dimitrios Kelepouris.
Tell us about yourself, your current role and you the Future Leaders Forum you attended
My name is Dimitrios Kelepouris, and I am from Greece. I currently work at World Athletics as a Broadcast Content Coordinator within the Broadcast department.
I was a participant at the Future Leaders Forum in Munich in 2022. I later joined the facilitators’ team in Rome in 2024, and I will also be part of the team delivering the Future Leaders Forum in Birmingham in 2026.
What are you doing now? Tell us about your current role.
I work as a Broadcast Content Coordinator at World Athletics. I am responsible for the organisation’s video archive — preserving the past, managing the present and safeguarding the future visual history of our sport.
Together with my team, we plan and coordinate the broadcast production of World Athletics events. We ensure that all footage from each championship is properly captured, secured and archived. Our responsibilities cover pre-production, live production and post-production.
We also manage the distribution of World Athletics’ video content across our platforms to stakeholders, rights-holders, partners and clients. In addition, I oversee our main video platform, the World Athletics Digital Media Hub.
A particularly meaningful part of my role is digitising and archiving historical footage from past championships, ensuring that our sport’s history is preserved and readily available for future generations.
What do you enjoy most about what you do?
Waking up every day and working in athletics is something I genuinely consider a privilege. I try to enjoy every moment and continuously improve.
Travelling to championships and working on-site is an incredible experience. Despite the long hours, busy schedules and occasional sleepless nights, being present at competitions and contributing behind the scenes is extremely rewarding.
I also have the unique opportunity to revisit historic competitions almost daily — something every athletics fan dreams of. Playing a role in promoting and growing our sport is both a big responsibility and an exciting challenge.
How did you get into this field?
Saying that athletics is my life would not be an exaggeration. My father was a former athletics champion and coach, so my brother and I naturally followed that path — and we never looked back.
There wasn’t a single defining decision; it was more a constant feeling that I belonged in athletics. During my bachelor’s studies, I became more actively involved, starting as a volunteer. I later worked as an official and as a journalist specialising in athletics.
After completing my master’s degree and returning from the USA, the Greek federation offered me a full-time role.
In 2022, when I joined the European Athletics Future Leaders Forum in Munich, I was exposed to a completely new dimension of the sport. Growing up in a smaller country, opportunities to work internationally can feel distant. Before the Forum, working for an organisation like World Athletics felt almost unimaginable.
The Forum changed my perspective. It helped me understand the true possibilities within athletics and encouraged me to think beyond perceived limits. I took the opportunity — and more than three years later, I am living one of my biggest dreams.
It was not even my “dream job,” because I had never dared to imagine something like this. The Forum helped me realise that sometimes you need to look further than your current reality and take the risk.
What has been one defining moment in your career so far?
The defining moment was my decision to participate in the Future Leaders Forum in Munich in 2022 — and later to apply to become a facilitator.
During the Forum, listening to speakers share their journeys within athletics made me realise that working internationally could become a reality for me too. That was the moment I understood that there are no real limits if you are willing to try.
Everything before the Forum built the foundation. Everything after has been the greatest adventure of my life.
What skills or experiences helped you get to where you are today?
Listening, learning and continuously challenging myself with new experiences have been essential.
I listened carefully to people who were already working in areas I was interested in. I learned from professionals who were willing to share their knowledge. I embraced new technologies, new ideas and new responsibilities.
Being open-minded and willing to try something different — even when uncertain — has been one of the most valuable qualities in my journey. Even during difficult or uncertain periods, that mindset allowed me to grow and adapt.
Who or what inspires you in your career?
My biggest inspiration is the people in my life — their dedication, passion and values shape who I am.
If I had to choose one person, it would be my brother.
We grew up training together, coached by our father, and both became national champions in race walking. We even represented Greece internationally.
Due to the economic crisis in Greece, we had to step away from high-performance athletics. At the time, we feared our connection to the sport would fade. But life has a way of guiding you back to where you belong.
Today, we are both involved in athletics again, in different roles but with the same love for the sport. While I work at World Athletics and help deliver the Future Leaders Forum in Birmingham, my brother has returned to competitive race walking after 16 years and is preparing to represent Greece at the Balkan Championships, with ambitions towards the 2026 European Championships.
He reminds me that anything is possible with hard work, belief and persistence.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in sport or leadership?
- Follow your passion. Listen to different opinions, but make your own decisions. If you make a mistake, you will learn from it. If you let others decide for you, you may always wonder “what if.”
- Take risks. Step outside your comfort zone and be brave enough to lead.
- Keep learning. Even knowledge that seems irrelevant today might become valuable tomorrow.
- Embrace challenges. Growth often happens during difficult times. Stay focused on your goals and keep moving forward.
What’s something you wish you knew when you were starting your career?
I wish I had understood earlier that everything takes time. Growth, decisions and clarity all require patience. There is no need to rush. With time, you gain perspective, filter information better and make wiser decisions.
Enjoy the journey — the answers will come.
Are there any exciting projects or goals you’re working on right now?
2026 is one of the most demanding and exciting years of my career. Together with the team at World Athletics, we are delivering seven World Athletics events — a challenging but inspiring schedule.
At the same time, I am volunteering as part of the team delivering the 2026 Future Leaders Forum in Birmingham. Working alongside fellow facilitators and being part of my European Athletics family once again is something I am truly proud of.
It feels special to return to the programme that helped shape my path — this time contributing to the development of the next generation of leaders.
Start your journey
The 2026 European Athletics Future Leaders Forum will take place in Birmingham from 12–17 August, alongside the European Athletics Championships.
European Athletics Member Federations have been invited to nominate candidates for the 2026 Future Leaders Forum.
Each federation may nominate one participant aged between 20 and 30, with the option to request a second participant of the opposite gender, subject to capacity.
Nominations must be submitted by Monday 16 February 2026.
