World Athletics renames indoor athletics as 'short track'

Femke Bol during an indoor competition

World Athletics renames indoor athletics as 'short track'

Funmilayo Fameso 18:05 - 23.05.2023

World Athletics has introduced the new term 'short track' to replace the old term 'indoor'.

World Athletics has directed that the term 'indoor' in track and field will be renamed 'short track' to describe events and performances set on a 200m track.

According to a press release by the World Athletics website, the new term 'short track' is to allow more flexibility in the setting of 200m tracks.

"The World Athletics Council is supporting the concept short track' competition to allow more flexibility in the setting of 200m tracks, which may, in the future, be constructed outdoors or in temporary city locations, rather than in a traditional indoor arena. Performances set on outdoor or temporary 200m tracks could therefore be recognised as official results for the purpose of records and rankings."

This new development is due to evolution which has prompted World Athletics to redefine the boundaries of outdoor and indoor athletics, so they relate to the competition facility rather than to the environment.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: “This change is designed to remove an unintentional barrier to competition innovation by offering organisers the chance to explore solutions and opportunities which the current rules may discourage.

Under this new concept, the 200m short track will no longer be confined to the indoor environment, and a world of opportunities will open up for meeting organisers to stage official competition in whatever facilities they have available, either indoors or outdoors, using 200m or 400m tracks," added Coe.

Overview of an indoor track

"This change will allow and actively encourage the possibility for 200m tracks to move to an outdoor environment and will provide a more affordable option to cities, especially where space is in short supply while stimulating the growth of the sport through investment in new infrastructure.”

However, indoor championships (whether at the national, area, or world level) would continue to exist, but in regions/areas where there are no or very limited indoor facilities, short track championships could be held, which would be the equivalent of the indoor championships and could be used as qualifying competitions for major indoor championships.

Read more worldathletics.org

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