Seb Coe Calls for More Revenues to be Invested in Member Federations

IAAF Presidential candidate Seb Coe today pledged to ensure that the IAAF invests more revenues more directly to its Member Federations for development purposes if he is elected President. Speaking from Nicaragua where he is attending the Greater Central American Championships, Coe also promised a full review of IAAF Development Programmes to ensure they are better tailored to meet the specific requirements of Member Federations and their local needs.

Speaking about his call for more revenues to be invested more directly into Member Federations, Seb Coe said:

"After travelling the world and meeting so many of the hard working representatives of IAAF Member Federations, I am convinced that the time has come to ensure that IAAF redistributes more revenues more directly to its Member Federations for development purposes. I will reveal more details about this plan and my commitments nearer to the Congress in Beijing, but the principle is clear: these reserves do not belong to the IAAF - they belong to all the Member Federations and should now be invested to develop and grow the sport worldwide."

Speaking about his commitment to review and modernise the way the IAAF supports Development in its 214 Member Federations, Seb Coe added:

"We need to move to a structure that is less prescriptive and centrally driven from Monaco to one that is more devolved and focused on what each Member Federation, particularly those with limited resources, actually need on the ground. We have a duty to listen more closely to the needs of the Federations, to ensure that resources can be directed from the centre in areas that they have identified as a priority. By delivering an improved and more tailored approach, we will help each country develop more naturally, and they will feel a more direct connection to the IAAF. We are, after all, the "Association of Athletics Federations" so everything the IAAF does must reflect this.

"The role of the IAAF’s Regional Development and High Performance Centres also needs to be reviewed. We need to think more in terms of bringing the RDCs to the Federations and that is why I want to see the introduction of Mobile Regional Development Centres to supplement the RDCs where skilled people, rather than buildings, can connect with and support Member federations year round. There is also huge potential for ‘E learning’ using experts to mentor those from developing Federations cost-effectively.

Coe also believes Member Federations will benefit directly from a renewed focus on IAAF commercial growth if he is elected President:

"I hope that the connection between the IAAF’s commercial success and growing Development Programmes is clearly understood. I am very confident about my own commercial background and my proven experience of raising money in a sports’ environment. If elected IAAF President, I have committed to establishing an in-house commercial department to support the commercial growth of all our Member Federations and enhance their relationship with IAAF commercial sponsors. I believe I am the right candidate to deliver growing financial resources across the Athletics Family which will then be invested into a better Development Programmes for all our members."

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