European Athletic Association

History

After the foundation of the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF) in 1912, it was clear there needed to be a European committee as part of the governing board. While the idea originally met with some resistance, it was the active promotion by the Hungarian representative Szilard Stankovits that bought the initiative to life following the Los Angeles congress of the IAAF in 1932. Following this meeting, the Council officially designated a European Commission (chaired by Stankovits) with the task of reviewing the conditions for the organisation of the European Athletics Championships.

The first official meeting of what was later to be known as the European Commission was held in Budapest on 7 January 1934. The organization of the first European Athletics Championships was officially awarded to Turin. These first games were men-only and were notable by the absence of the British delegation, which opposed an event seen as competing with its own British Empire Games. The next championships took place in Paris in 1938, but after Stankovits' death the same year and the cancellation of all events during WWII, the Commission lay dormant until 1945.

During the post-war period, and with an increase in membership both at IAAF and European levels, the Commission quickly changed to an independent association, including the related financial and political independence from its international parent. Its budget, for example, increased from £100 in 1951 (for postal expenses) to US$40,000 per year in 1970. It was also during that period that the Commission started experimenting and developing a greater range of events besides the European Championships: the European Junior Championships (1964), the European Cup (1965), the Indoor championships (1966).

thumb|left|[[Adriaan Paulen]], the Association's first president (1969–1976)The Commission officially became a Committee in July 1952, gradually expanding its independence. The members of the Commission were elected at regular IAAF Congresses until 1966 when, for the first time, their selection became European-only. The shift also reflects the increased income received from television rights, as earnings took off as a direct result of broadcasting arrangements. The 1969 European championships secured a record US$90,000 from Eurovision for the rights to broadcast the event. It was then decided that the European Committee would directly receive these funds in order to benefit its members (rather than having it redistributed by the IAAF.)

On 31 October 1969, the Association of the European Members of the IAAF was constituted at a formal meeting of the European Committee of the IAAF in Bucharest. Its Constitutional Rules were ratified at the IAAF Congress in Stockholm, August 1970, and came into force at the first European Athletics Congress in Paris on 7 November 1970. As listed in the Bucharest meeting's report (cited by Roger and Tetret, 2010): Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechoslowakia, Denmark, Ireland, Finland, France, East and West Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the USSR and Yugoslavia. ----Adriaan Paulen, who was president of the European Committee of the IAAF, was elected as the first President and simultaneously became (or remained) European representative on the IAAF Council. He held this position until his election as President of the IAAF in 1976.

The 1970s were also the time for European Athletics to raise the issue of doping. They started establishing more systematic controls, pushing for tests to be extended to non-European athletes as well. The European Championships of 1974 included a wider range of banned products than previously, with anabolic steroids being checked at all other subsequent events. As a continent, Europe clearly was "the nucleus of the IAAF" and an example to be followed for other IAAF members. As such, the European Association became an experimental platform for international athletics, organising events before they were recognized by the International Olympic Committee. For example, the women's marathon was included in the 1982 championships and became an Olympic distance for female athletes at the 1984 Summer Olympics.

The late 1980s saw major new challenges for sports in general, and European athletics in particular, with the increased professionalization of athletes and the breakdown of the Eastern Bloc. There was a huge increase in member federations (34 to 49 between 1987 and 1991) and the growing complexity of financial and commercial negotiations as well as an ever-expanding calendar of events meant that the organisation had to adapt. Till Luft, from Germany, became the first full-time General Secretary in 1995 and worked at the first European Athletics office in Frankfurt and, after April 1996, Darmstadt. A second office was also opened in London, next to the IAAF. A few years later, because of the somewhat unfavourable nature of the German tax system towards non-profit organizations, the proposal was made to merge both offices and move out of Germany. The move to Switzerland and necessary changes to Constitutional Rules were approved at the Athens Congress of 2003, and the new location opened in Lausanne (where several other sports organizations, including the IOC, were already located) on 1 January 2004.

Members and Governance

European Athletics' governance is split between five bodies:

• The Congress, which is the general assembly of the Members and the supreme authority of the European Athletic Association;
• The Council, with the Executive Board and its President;
• The Commissions;
• The Head Office;
• The European Athletics Association Court.

Membership

European Athletics now has 51 members, with Kosovo having joined in 2015. Each member gets one vote at the Congress.

• Albania Albanian Athletics Federation
• Andorra Andorran Athletics Federation
• Armenia Armenian Athletic Federation
• Austria Austrian Athletics Federation
• Azerbaijan Azerbaijan Athletics Federation
• Belarus Belarus Athletic Federation
• Belgium Royal Belgian Athletics Federation
• Bosnia Athletic Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Bulgaria Bulgarian Athletic Federation
• Croatia Croatian Athletics Federation
• Cyprus Amateur Athletic Association of Cyprus
• Czech Czech Athletics Federation
• Denmark Danish Athletics Federation
• Estonia Estonian Athletic Association
• Finland Finnish Athletics Federation
• France French Athletics Federation
• Georgia Athletic Federation of Georgia
• Germany German Athletics Association
• Gibraltar Gibraltar Amateur Athletic Association
• Greece Hellenic Amateur Athletic Association
• Hungary Hungarian Athletics Association
• Iceland Icelandic Athletic Federation
• Ireland Athletics Ireland
• Israel Israeli Athletic Association
• Italy Italian Athletics Federation
• Kosovo Kosovo Athletic Federation
• Latvia Latvian Athletics Association
• Liechtenstein Liechtenstein Association of Athletics Federations
• Lithuania Athletics Federation of Lithuania
• Luxembourg Luxembourg Athletics Federation
• Malta Malta Amateur Athletic Association
• Moldova Athletics Federation of Moldova
• Monaco Monégasque Athletics Federation
• Montenegro Athletic Federation of Montenegro
• Netherlands Royal Dutch Athletics Federation
• North Macedonia Athletic Federation of North Macedonia
• Norway Norwegian Athletics Association
• Poland Polish Athletic Association
• Portugal Portuguese Athletics Federation
• Romania Romanian Athletics Federation
• Russia Russian Athletics Federation (suspended since 2015)
• San Marino San Marino Athletics Federation
• Serbia Athletics Federation of Serbia
• Slovakia Slovak Athletic Federation
• Slovenia Athletic Federation of Slovenia
• Spain Royal Spanish Athletics Federation
• Sweden Swedish Athletics Association
• Switzerland Swiss Athletics Federation
• Turkey Turkish Athletic Federation
• Ukraine Ukrainian Athletic Federation
• United Kingdom UK Athletics

Since 2005, the European Athletic Association also has its own anthem, composed by the Armenian composer Gevorg Manasyan, which is used at the opening and closing of official events.

European Athletics Council

The European Athletics Council consists of:

• Members of the European Athletics Executive Board ;Executive Board members
• Dobromir Karamarinov, President
• Cherry Alexander, Vice-President (GBR)
• Libor Varhaník, Vice-President (CZE)
• Karin Grute Movin (SWE)
• Christian Milz, CEO Director General (ex officio).

; Council members

• Sebastian Coe, President of World Athletics (ex officio)
• Slobodan Branković (SRB)
• Nadya But-Husaim (BLR)
• Raúl Chapado (ESP)
• Fatih Çintimar (TUR)
• Panagiotis Dimakos (GRE)
• Jean Gracia (FRA)
• Márton István Gyulai (HUN)
• Periklis Iakovakis (GRE) (Chair of the European Athletics Athletes Committee)
• Anna Kirnova (SVK)
• Antti Pihlakoski (FIN)
• Sonja Spendelhofer (AUT)
• Erich Teigamägi (EST)

The term of office for the Council is for the period from the effective date of its election to the conclusion of the next Ordinary Congress held in the year immediately preceding each Olympic Summer Games.

Competitions

There are four broad categories under which competitions are held:

• Senior : all athletes over 23 years old ;
• U23 : athletes aged from 20 to 22 years on 31 December of the year of the competition;
• U20 : athletes aged 16 to 19 years on 31 December of the year of the competition;
• U18 : athletes aged 16 to 17 years on 31 December of the year of the competition.

European Athletics organizes several official competitions at the European level,

Club competitions

European Athletics also organises various club competitions, two track and field and one cross country.

• European Champion Clubs Cup (Senior)
• European Champion Clubs Cup (Junior)
• European Champion Clubs Cup Cross Country

Meetings

Any indoor or outdoor meeting within Europe, which invites international athletes and offers a prize money, appearance fee, and/or the value of non-cash prizes in excess of a certain amount is required to have a permit from European Athletic. The distinction between Premium, Classic and Special Premium meetings lies essentially in the number of mandatory events, level of attendance, stadium capacity, as well as commercial conditions and the number of doping controls. Classic Meeting requirements are less stringent than Premium, whereas Special Premium Meetings have a restricted programme of events (and therefore a reduced number of participating athletes).

Outdoor Permit Meetings

During the European Athletics Outdoor Season 2018 a total of 21 meetings — including Premium, Special Premium and Classic – are scheduled to be held: ;Outdoor Premium Meetings

• SUI Spitzen Leichtathletik Luzern, Lucerne
• ITA Palio Città della Quercia, Rovereto

;Outdoor Special Premium Meetings

• Greece Street Pole Vault, Athens

;Outdoor Classic Meetings

• ESP Memorial Francisco Ramón Higueras, Andújar
• POL European Athletics Festival Bydgoszcz, Bydgoszcz
• POL Janusz Kusociński Memorial, Chorzów
• POL Irena Szewińska Memorial, Bydgoszcz
• DEN Copenhagen Athletics Games
• SWE Gothenburg Athletics Grand Prix
• BEL KBC Night of Athletics, Heusden-Zolder
• ESP Meeting Iberoamericano de Atletismo, Huelva
• SWE Karlstad Grand Prix
• BEL Meeting international de la province de Liège
• FRA Meeting de Marseille
• FRA Meeting international de Montreuil
• FRA Meeting international Stanislas, Nancy
• ITA Meeting Città di Padova, Padua
• CZE Josef Odložil Memorial, Prague
• HUN Gyulai István Memorial, Székesfehérvár
• FRA Meeting international de Sotteville
• SWE Grand Prix Sollentuna

Outdoor Area Permit Meetings

Current or previous Outdoor Area Permit Meetings

• ESP Medio Maraton Internacional Azkoitia-Azpeitia Memorial Diego Garcia, Azkoitia
• ESP Meeting Internacional de Arona
• ESP Reunion Internacional de Atletismo "Villa de Bilbao"
• IRL Cork City Sports
• IRL Morton Games, Dublin
• FRA Meeting Féminin du Val d'Oise, Eaubonne
• FRA Meeting Elite de Forbach
• SWE Folksam Challenge, Helsingborg, Umeå
• LVA Janis Lusis Cup, Jelgava
• FIN Joensuu Games
• FIN Savo Games, Lapinlahti
• ITA Meeting Sport Solidarietà, Lignano Sabbiadoro
• FRA Meeting Elite en Salle de Metz
• FRA Meeting Elite en Salle de Mondeville
• FRA Meeting de Montgeron
• LVA President Cup, Riga
• POL Janusz Sidlo Memorial, Sopot
• POL Kamila Skolimowska Memorial, Sopot
• SUI Citius Meeting, Bern
• GEO Caucasian Cup, Tbilisi
• FIN Paavo Nurmi Games, Turku
• CZE Turnov
• RUS Znamensky Memorial, Zhukovsky

Indoor Meetings

Current or previous Indoor Classic Permit Meetings:

• IRL AIT International Grand Prix, Athlone
• SRB Serbian Open, Belgrade
• FRA All Star Perche, Clermont-Ferrand
• BEL IFAM Meeting, Ghent
• TUR Istanbul Athletics Cup
• FRA Meeting Pas de Calais, Liévin
• AUT Gugl Indoor Meeting, Linz
• POL Orlen Cup, Łódź
• CZE Czech Indoor Gala, Ostrava
• FRA Paris Indoor, Paris
• ISL RIG Games, Reykjavík
• EST Combined Events Meeting, Tallinn
• SWE Sparet Grand Prix, Stockholm

Cross Country Permit Meetings

During the European Athletics Cross Country season 2017–18 a total of 13 meetings are scheduled to be held:

• SWE Lidingöloppet, Lidingö
• DEN European Halloween Cross, Middelfart
• GER Pforzheim-Huchenfeld Cross
• AUT Wyndham Grand CrossAttack, Salzburg-Rif
• FRA Cross de l'Acier, Leffrinckoucke
• GER Darmstadt Cross
• ESP Cross Internacional, Alcobendas
• NED International Warandercross, Tilburg
• GBR Great Edinburgh Cross, Edinburgh
• NED Abdycross, Kerkrade
• ITA Campaccio, San Giorgio su Legnano
• ITA Cross della Vallagarina, Villa Lagarina – Rovereto
• BEL Lotto Cross Cup de Hannut, Hannut

Race Walking Permit Meetings

• LTU International Walking Festival Alytus
• SVK Dudince
• CZE Poděbrady

Sponsors

The European Athletic Association is the owner of all rights emanating from European athletics competitions and activities. Its current official sponsors are:

• SPAR
• Gruyère AOP
• Eurovision

References

References

1. "European Athletics. A Continental History of Track and Field". European Athletic Association.
2. Minutes of the IAAF Council, Berlin, 23 and 24 September 1933
3. "European Athletics. A Continental History of Track and Field". European Athletic Association.
4. "European Athletics. A Continental History of Track and Field". European Athletic Association.
5. "European Athletics. A Continental History of Track and Field". European Athletic Association.
6. "European Athletics. A Continental History of Track and Field". European Athletic Association.
7. "''It is imperative in the future that positive arrangements be concluded with television and that the gross receipts from television revenues be included in the percentage allocated to the IAAF.''" Minutes of the 24th meeting of the European Committee, Prague, 10 November 1962.
8. Minutes of the Council, Zagreb, 1–2 November 1974
9. Adriaan Paulen, minutes of the IAAF Council, Turin, 5 August 1979, as cited by Roger and Tetret (2010).
10. The office was traditionally located in the Honorary Secretary, and then General Secretary's home country.
11. "European Athletics. A Continental History of Track and Field". European Athletic Association.
12. (15 April 2015). "IAAF Council Meeting, Beijing, 15 April – Notes".
13. "European Athletics Constitution. Article 19 – Voting at the Congress".
14. (14 November 2015). "Statement from European Athletics". European Athletics Association.
15. (September 2005). "Update – Newsletter of the European Athletic Association".
16. (15 August 2014). "Milz, le Romand qui dirige l'athlétisme européen". [[20 minutes (Switzerland).
17. "European Athletics Council".
18. "European Athletics Constitution. Article 38 – EAA Competitions and Activities".
19. "European Running Championships {{!}} Overview {{!}} European Athletics".
20. "Competitions – European Athletics".
21. "Competitions – European Athletics".
22. "Competitions – European Athletics".
23. (June 2015). "Principles for the selection and management of European Athletics meetings".
24. "European Athletics Outdoor Permit Meetings 2018". European Athletics.
25. Three separate events in 2016
26. "Cross Country permit Meetings 2017–18". European Athletics.
27. "Competitions – Race Walking Permit Meetings – European Athletics".
28. "European Athletics Constitution. Article 39 – Event Rights".