World record wipe proposal rejected by NACAC
Key Points(5)
- The North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC) has rejected a proposal by the European Athletics Council, recommending the wiping of world records set before 2005.
- Head of European Athletics Arne Hansen made the proposal recently calling it “revolutionary”.
- “Not just because most world and European records will have to be replaced but because we want to change the concept of a record and raise the standards for recognition to a point where everyone can be confident that everything is fair and above board,” he said.
- NACAC president, Victor Lopez, is opposed to the proposal and called on the IAAF not to include the proposal on the agenda of the IAAF Council Meeting in London.
- As an alternative, Lopez proposes that the IAAF Integrity Unit work alongside the International Olympic Committee (IOC), to ensure that clean athletes are protected.
The North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC) has rejected a proposal by the European Athletics Council, recommending the wiping of world records set before 2005.
Head of European Athletics Arne Hansen made the proposal recently calling it “revolutionary”.
“Not just because most world and European records will have to be replaced but because we want to change the concept of a record and raise the standards for recognition to a point where everyone can be confident that everything is fair and above board,” he said.
NACAC president, Victor Lopez, is opposed to the proposal and called on the IAAF not to include the proposal on the agenda of the IAAF Council Meeting in London. As an alternative, Lopez proposes that the IAAF Integrity Unit work alongside the International Olympic Committee (IOC), to ensure that clean athletes are protected.
“As the Area Representative and President of NACAC, I am calling for the IAAF not to entertain such a proposal in the upcoming IAAF Council Meeting in London as that will take away the positive media attention from the great World Championships that London will be delivering with Usain Bolt saying goodbye to the most significant career of any sprinter in the history of our sport,” said Lopez.
“After discussion with our Council, the NACAC AA position is that this is just one IAAF Area proposal to create a new set of European records, but at this point there is no plan by the IAAF to reset world records. If and when any such proposal is on the table at the level of the IAAF, we will ensure that the interest of the athletes who hold bona fide records and whose status as clean athletes is well established will be protected,” he added.
