General Introduction

The athletics competitions are the central activities of all European Athletics events. Preparation of the facilities and technical equipment, the timetable and competition management are essential to the success of the competitions. Venue management, information technology, medical and anti-doping services, victory ceremonies and event presentation all have an impact on success, as do other areas such as logistics, marketing and communication.

The person in charge of the competition arena (normally the Competition Director) must have a thorough knowledge of the World Athletics (WA) Competition and Technical Rules and other related World Athletics and European Athletics Technical Guidelines and Regulations, extensive experience in managing competitions and high technical skills, the ability to speak and write fluent English, as well as an understanding of event presentation, information technology and TV production.

For major events where an overall Head of Competition/Sport has been appointed, a Competition Director should still be appointed at an early stage; and then follow all preparations and attend all relevant meetings.

The responsible person(s) for this area will need to meet and liaise with the European Athletics Delegates regularly during the preparation and execution phases of the event, working with the European Athletics Events & Competition Department.

Stadium Competitions

Indoor/Outdoor Track & Field Facilities

The competition facilities will need to be completely ready in time for the athletes to train, warm-up and compete. European Athletics will require the highest international standards.

The actual facility requirements are specific to the type of event but all must comply with the World Athletics Competition and Technical Rules as per the WA Athletics Facilities Manual. Furthermore every facility where European Athletics events are staged shall hold a WA certification. Please, refer to the Certification § in this Section.

The venue must be in a clean and impeccable state so as to offer the best possible conditions to the athletes and also the best image for the spectators at the venue and those watching on TV. If necessary the track will require to be re-surfaced and/or re-painted.

If renovation works or even new constructions are needed at any of the competition venues, a close coordination between the venue management and the event competition area is essential. The planned works must be discussed and agreed in advance with the Technical Delegates and European Athletics, so that they meet the needs of the specific event.

Attention must be given not only to the actual competition areas, but also to the relevant supporting facilities, for officials as well as athletes, and these will be covered later in this Section. It is very important to carefully plan for working spaces according to the numbers of persons in the competition areas. Please, refer to the Facilities & Venue Management section for more details.

Competition Equipment

All facilities need to be equipped with the necessary competition equipment for the athletes to train, warm-up and compete.

The equipment to be used in European Athletics events must all be in full conformity with the relevant WA Competition Rules and must be certified by WA.

The person in charge of this area (Technical Manager) needs to check well in advance if all the necessary equipment already exists or needs to be bought or rented. The LOC must inform the Technical Delegates of its intentions for equipment purchase or rental by providing lists in advance.

It is important that detailed and accurate inventories of competition equipment are maintained as well as systems for recording items issued and returned. Appropriate equipment will need to be issued to training, warm-up and the competition venues in accordance with the time schedules of the particular events and sessions. Secure equipment storage must be provided at each of the venues. For major events some of the competition equipment will bear sponsor logos (see Marketing section for further details).

The infield equipment for each session shall be issued only as needed according to the timetable and, where possible, removed immediately thereafter, in order to preserve a clean infield. As the amount of competition equipment to be moved (e.g. hurdles, steeplechase barriers, pole-vault and high jump pits or Discus/Hammer cage dismantling) is substantial, these operations require thorough planning of human resources and special vehicles. Careful planning of the locations of the storage of infield equipment can improve efficiency.

In outdoor stadia an appropriate electrical vehicle must be used for the placement and removal of the hurdles and an electrical miniature vehicle is of great help to bring back long throws implements (javelins, hammers & discus). New ideas to help the efficiency of activities and reduce the numbers of officials needed on the infield are always welcome.

Naturally, the movements of equipment need not only special vehicles and equipment but also well trained teams to operate them speedily and efficiently. These teams work under the direction of the Technical Manager and need training and rehearsals not only to be able to carry out their tasks properly and on time but also to look good.

Implements

The LOC is responsible for providing implements, of types and quality which are appropriate for the level and needs of the competition and the competing athletes. A list, drawn from the WA’s current approved Implement List (Technical Information/Certification System) and taking in consideration statistics from previous equivalent events, must be submitted to the European Athletics Technical Delegate/s for approval.

The European Athletics Technical Delegate/s may, upon requests from Member Federations or manufacturers, agree to the use of other WA approved implements. These must be added to the official list and provided free of charge to the LOC, in the same number as the official implements.

In addition to the implements on the official list, athletes may use their personal implements, provided that these have WA certification, are not already on the official list, are in good conditions and the brand is clearly visible. All personal implements brought by athletes must be checked and approved before use. The LOC decides, in agreement with the Technical Delegate/s, where and when personal implements have to be delivered for checking, using the Personal Implements Form as a receipt to the athlete. Normally this takes place at the TIC the day before the qualification round of the respective event. These implements will be returned to the athletes after the final of the respective event; including those belonging to athletes who do not qualify for the final.

The LOC is also responsible for providing a sufficient number of implements for training and warm-up. It shall organise a system for athletes to borrow implements at both venues (e.g. against accreditation card) and must keep accurate records of all implements used both in warm-up and training.

The LOC shall keep statistics of the implements used in competition, both official and personal implements, for use by future organisers.

Please refer to the European Athletics Throwing Implements Procedures in the Appendices for more details on the planning and procedures for the management of throwing implements. Within the Throwing Implements Procedure document the European Athletics Personal Implement Form can be also found.

Poles

Because they are both fragile and very long, vaulting poles need special care and attention both before and during the event. International athletes use poles that can be 4,90m -5,20m in length and most of them travel with bags containing up to eight poles. Transporting these is a challenge not only for the athletes but for others too, starting with the airline and ground services and then for the LOC from the airport to the venue and back.

Each Member Federation team is responsible for organising the transport of its poles to the host city’s official airport/train station of arrival.  The LOC must make all necessary arrangements in advance to bring the poles safely from the arrival point to the venue.  One of the first steps is to contact the official airport and find out whether and, if so, how it can accommodate flights landing there with poles. If necessary, the LOC shall arrange, at its own cost, for transport from a convenient alternative airport.

Member Federations must provide the LOC with advance information on the transportation of poles in order that they may be collected, stored temporarily if necessary, and delivered safely to the venues. It is important that this information is included by the Member Federations in the European Athletics entry system.

Pole bags must be labelled in advance or, on arrival, by the LOC to ensure that they can be easily identified in the pole storage area. Each bag shall bear the identification of the athlete (with name, gender, event and country, e.g. Sebrle-M-Decathlon-CZE). The LOC must record the number of poles in each bag and the Poles Form must be signed for and a copy given to the athlete.

Poles shall initially be transported to the training venue(s) and be kept in a secure storage. They will be made available for the athletes’ use during the training hours.
Vaulting poles must then be delivered to the stadium the evening before the start of each pole vault event. The poles will be kept in a locked store and will be brought to the competition site in due time by the organisers. Checking of the poles against the event start list and the poles forms is essential in order to avoid difficulties after the athletes have entered the infield for their practice trials.

The organisers will inform the teams where the poles will be taken after the competition, either to the team hotels or directly to the airport. In both cases they must be kept safely until returned to the athletes; upon presentation of the poles form.

Certifications

Depending on the level of the event to be held, the competition venue needs to have a WA certification or measurement report; without which the event cannot be staged. Any remedial and/or upgrade work that might be required should have been identified during the bid process and included in the Organiser Agreement. Before any works are initiated, the LOC shall consult WA for advice.

A measurement report, following WA rules, needs to be prepared by the official surveyor in cooperation with the venue management and submitted to WA well in advance before the competition, in order to allow corrections if necessary.  Unless the competition facility already has a valid Certificate, WA will inform European Athletics when the Certificate is issued. Even if the competition facility already has a WA Certificate, if it requires total or partial reconstruction, re-surfacing and/or re-painting, a new certification is normally required. If the re-painting is on the existing markings and supervised by the original surveyor, a new certification may not be needed. In any case contact must be established with WA for the required procedures.

For out of stadium competitions (road and cross country events) there are specific procedures that need to be followed in order to obtain the International Measurement Certificate. Details can be found in the Out of Stadium section hereafter and in the respective guidelines. 

Please also note that field events taking place outside of the stadium will require a certification of the temporary facility, which needs to be anticipate as much as possible by close contact with WA during construction as the facility is usually set-up just before the event.

To find more information about the certification procedures please check the present WA Regulations and all relevant Forms through this link (Technical Information / Certification System).

The following table denotes the types of certificates needed for European Athletics events:

Type of Event	Certificate
ECH	Certificate Class 1 (+ certification of Temporary Facilities, if any)
EICH	Measurement Report
ETCH (All Leagues)	Certificate Class 2
EU18CH, EU20CH, EU23CH	Certificate Class 2 (+ certification of Temporary Facilities, if any)
Other Events	Certificate Class 2 or Measurement Report on relevant events sites
Road Races Courses at ECH	Course Measurement Report by the appointed International Road Race Measurer – Grade A
ETCH-RW & RW Courses at EU23CH	Course Measurement Report by the appointed International Roas Race Measurer – Grade A or B
EXCH & EMRCH	Measurement Report approved by the TD
EAORCH	Measurement Report approved by ITRA and the TD

Training & Warm-up Venues

Training & warm-up venues are required for both indoor and outdoor stadium events. An assessment of the specific requirements for the competition in question needs to be made as early as possible to determine the availability and suitability of these venues and whether any remedial or upgrade work is required. For more details please refer to the European Athletics event facility requirements in the Appendices.

The training venues need to be as near as possible to the athletes’ accommodation, while the warm-up venue must be adjacent to the competition venue.

Training and warm-up facilities will be needed for all disciplines included in competition in question and a separate warm-up area for the long throws is required.

The layouts of the training and warm-up venues need to be agreed in advance with the Technical Delegate. They need to be provided with all necessary equipment and include an area for weight-lifting (if relevant).

LOC personnel should be present at the training and warm-up areas to assist athletes and officials with any queries and to liaise as necessary with other LOC staff such as the Competition Director, Logistics officer, Venue Management or other. Communication systems should be provided at these venues. See also the Technology Section for more details.

For the training and warm-up requirements for out of stadium events, please refer to the Section – Out of Stadium Competitions.

Coaching Areas

For in-stadium competitions places need to be provided to enable the field event coaches to follow the athletes’ progressions and to provide them with technical advice, as permitted by the WA Rules. These places shall be near to the relevant field event with a good visibility for the take-off, runway or circle, and allowing the athletes to approach and communicate with their coaches.

The places for the coaches must be agreed with the LOC Competition department and approved by the Technical Delegates. The allocated seats (usually in the front row(s) of the public seating areas) will then be reserved and withheld from sale. 

One coaching seat shall be provided for each competing athlete, to be accessed by means of a pass provided by European Athletics and/or  a ticket provided by the LOC. Access to this area must be strictly controlled by the LOC (see also Accreditation in the Services Section).  The number of seats needed in qualification rounds shall be based on the number of participating athletes in previous editions as well as the relevant event regulations.

Out of Stadium Competitions

Certain European Athletics Championships include events out of the stadium: such as Marathon, Half Marathon and Race Walking. Some European Athletics Events consist only of out of stadium events; such as the European Cross Country Championships, European Athletics Off RoadRunning Championships and European Race Walking Team Championships. Sometimes, qualification rounds or finals of field events are also held outside the stadium.

The organisation of out of stadium competitions needs special attention and planning as tailor-made agreements need to be achieved in order to offer the best conditions to all competitors, spectators, TV, photographers, technical suppliers, sponsors etc.. 

When road events are part of a Championship that also includes in-stadium events, the out of stadium events need to be considered by the LOC as additional venues with the need of additional facilities, conditions and equipment. A dedicated LOC team should be responsible for these events, working in close collaboration with all other departments involved in the overall event as well as with the city or local authorities.

Among others, the following matters need to be tackled and organised:

• Municipal permissions & traffic control
• Warm-up area
• Changing rooms & toilets
• Medical services & physiotherapy
• Barriers to define the competition circuits
• Separate start/finish area (if not in the stadium)
• Spectator and media tribunes (if not in the stadium)
• Competition management & media offices
• Video boards
• Timing system & timing car
• Refreshment, sponging & drinking areas
• Mist area (shower-like structures releasing a fine spray of water from above)
• Photographers’ vehicle 
• TV and photographers’ platforms
• Security personnel & municipal police escorts
• Doping control facilities
• etc.

Road Races & Race Walking Events

Even though the start and finish areas of Road Races (Marathon and Half Marathon) and Race Walking events can be in the stadium, the main part of the race is staged out of the stadium and European Athletics encourages the LOC to plan these in a central area of the city, including start and finish. By this means, the host city is even more involved in these spectacular events, and the spectators can enjoy a great experience by following the competition from very close to the athletes; who will benefit from a fantastic atmosphere. Such a location can also help to simplify the in-stadium timetable.

European Athletics expects the highest international standards for its events. These requirements are very specific and matters such as the likely weather, road surface quality, visibility, the radius of turning points and elevation all play important roles. The plans and proposals must be made in consultation with European Athletics Events & Competition Department, Technical Delegates,  the Host Broadcasters and Event Presentation to ensure that they satisfy all their requirements and expectations.

The measurements of all Road Race event circuits need to be certified according to the relevant World Athletics/AIMS procedures. A detailed description can be found on the AIMS website through this link.

Road events usually have an impact on the circulation of people and traffic within the city and a common effort is needed to reduce this impact as much as possible. To avoid problems and complaints, the LOC and the municipality should create a system to inform inhabitants and those affected.

Cross Country Events

The success of a Cross Country event often depends on the natural characteristics of the venue and the abilities of the course designer as much as the location of the venue. It can be staged in a park in the city centre, in a hippodrome or on any open land that is conveniently located near the city centre. Naturally, the course should be a challenging one and competitive for the athletes.

European Athletics has developed specific guidelines for Cross Country events based on the World Athletics Competition and Technical Rules. They can be found in the Appendices (European Athletics Cross Country Championships Technical Guidelines).

Mountain and Trail Running

There are many variations in conditions for Mountain and Trail Running and it is difficult to create a standardisation. The differences between the various disciplines and courses make each European Athletics Off Road Running Championship a unique experience.

European Athletics has developed specific guidelines for the events integrated to the programme of the EAORCH that can be found in the Appendices (European Athletics EAORCH Technical Guidelines).

Competition Management

Timetable

The preparation of the competition timetable is not just a technical matter as many areas are affected by the decisions that are made within this key element of the event planning. Well-developed timetable is the key factor for the success of the event, in particular in relation to attracting TV audience and spectators at the stands.

The first draft of the timetable is developed by European Athletics Competition Management together with the Technical Delegates. The draft is based on the key principles but also takes into account LOC’s preferences (where relevant) and the interests of key partners (e.g. EBU). Then, the dedicated timetable meetings are held and these must include all relevant parties (LOC Competition, Technical Delegate(s), Host Broadcaster, Event Presentation, EBU (where relevant)) in order to consider suggestions and avoid conflicts, whilst meeting the relevant deadlines. The final decision on the timetable is made by the European Athletics/Technical Delegates based on the comments of all parties and the feedback from EBU or the Host Broadcaster (when EBU is not involved).

Once the timetable is final it is widely circulated and shall be the basis for the event planning.

After the Final Entries the numbers of athletes per event are evaluated in order to decide if any significant changes to the timetable are needed.  Once the required changes are decided by the European Athletics/Technical Delegates the timetable meeting is to be held with all relevant parties involved to endorse the changes. The updated timetable is immediately published.

For major events, a waiting list of athletes without entry standards could be accepted. For events which are held over more than two days and where there are daily final entry confirmation deadlines, the timetable must be reviewed every day by the Technical Delegates in agreement with the Host Broadcaster. Information on any timetable adaptations must be announced and distributed immediately.

National and International Officials

National Officials

The LOC is responsible for selecting and appointing the national officials who will conduct the competition. These officials will work under the directions of the referees, who in majority of cases are International Technical Officials, Meeting Manager and Competition Director.

The number of officials and their respective tasks shall be based on the programme of events as per the respective regulations and following the World Athletics Competition Rules as well as the European Athletics infield management guidelines, available in the Appencices

The national officials need to be very carefully selected, with consideration given to their overall competence. Factors to be considered, amongst others, are: technical skills, experience, profile, physical condition; and they should ideally speak English. The LOC should aim to have the very best officials from their country even if they are not from the specific city/region where the event will take place (also taking into account that this will need to be foreseen in the budget).

Even if the selected national officials are highly competent and experienced, they should prepare through refresher courses, workshops and test competitions at the event venue. Rules and procedures change regularly and, therefore, it is important that this is considered by the LOC.

The LOC shall provide uniform clothing for the officials and armbands for the chief judges and referees that should reflect the event look (please refer to the Clothing point under Services & Logistics Section).

At the venue, the LOC needs to provide well equipped changing, relaxation and service areas (refreshments, meals, special clothing also for uncomfortable weather) for the national officials, as well as travel, local transport, accommodation, meals, clothing, etc. (see also the Services & Logistics Section).

It is recommended that, in addition to the Team Manual, the LOC should produce a booklet specifically for the officials, collating all the relevant technical and logistic information (see Official Printed Material Section).

International Officials

European Athletics will appoint the relevant International Officiating Persons for the different competitions according to the European Athletics Competition Regulations.

The ITOs when appointed will act as Referees; therefore, for such events, the LOC does not need to appoint Referees. In certain cases, key national officials (in particular those being at World Athletics and/or European Athletics panels of International Officials) may also be considered for some of the referee positions. The Chief ITO in consultation with LOC and Technical Delegates is to come up with the referees’ assignments plan.

Besides ITOs there could be other international officials appointed by European Athletics (e.g. International Starter, International VDM Judge, etc.) .

The number and function of International Officials appointed by European Athletics for each event and the dates of appointment can be found in: European Athletics Officiating Persons Appointments document, available in the Appendices.

If the LOC produces clothing and/or armbands for the event the International Officials should also be considered. (See the Clothing point under the Services & Logistics Section).

In addition to its overall responsibilities concerning the invitation, travel and accommodation arrangements (see also Logistics Section), the LOC shall provide the International Officials with all necessary working rooms and conditions (see Facilities & Venue Management Section). The presence of some of the international officials in the test event or training of officials can be of great advantage to building teamwork and consequently to achieve a successful event.

All international officials shall take part in the rehearsal event and shall attend the technical meeting/briefing and/or any other relevant activities related to their tasks.

Infield Management

The infield is a part of the stage on which all outdoor and indoor stadium competitions take place. The layout of each venue can be different and thus the distribution of the field events will vary; this is something that also change between sessions.

The infield needs to be prepared with care and attention to detail. The objective must be to have the infield as clean and clear as possible, with a minimum of people and equipment, as this is the image of the event that will be given to spectators in the stadium and to the TV audience. All parties involved need to make this process smooth and efficient. As well as being well ordered and clean, the infield must also be safe; loose cables, cameras, open pits or similar are dangerous and must be protected.

Only authorised persons should have access to the infield, especially during competition.

European Athletics has developed Infield Management Guidelines for different categories of personnel that shall be taken by the LOC as the maximum numbers of personnel permitted infield. 

LOC is to produce detailed infield layouts per discipline as well as overall layouts per session during the planning phase for approval of the European Athletics/Technical Delegates. Once confirmed by the competition, the layouts are to be shared and confirmed by other parties involved – timing and data technical partner, Host Broadcaster and Marketing Department.

Please find here further relevant documents available to be found in the Appendices:

• Infield mgmt. guidelines Medical Personnel
• Infield mgmt. guidelines Competition Officials
• Infield mgmt. guidelines Competition Officials Appendix
• European Athletics Media Guidelines/Photographers

Video Recording & Protest Procedures

A dedicated video recording and control system needs to be provided by the LOC for the use of Video Referee / Jury of Appeal. The video recording system shall be in accordance with the World Athletics Video Recording and Video Referee Guidelines.

The video recordings must be adequate to demonstrate the authenticity of performances and any violation of the World Athletics rules and will be available to aid the Referees and/or the Members of the Jury of Appeal. The cameras used by the Host Broadcaster (however many) are never sufficient to cover all the athletes and angles that may be needed to decide protests and/or appeals. Additional cameras shall be foreseen and shall provide feeds (along with TV feeds) to the video recording room where the operator(s) will be able to show any required images to the Video Referee and Jury of Appeal members. The system shall be sufficient to enable ‘live’ decisions by the Video Referee.

For European Athletics Outdoor Championships, European Athletics Indoor Championships, European Athletics Team Championships Super League and European U23 Championships, a professional service provider for Video Recording is to be contracted by European Athletics at the costs of the LOC. A professional service provider ensures the high quality system with the cameras supplementary to HB coverage, equips the technical video room for recording and replay of the feeds both from HB and own cameras, and provides professional operators to install and run the system.

The details of the technical requirements for such a system can be found under the European Athletics Video Review Technical Requirements document, available in the Appendices.

For all other European Athletics Events, the LOC is responsible for ensuring the Video Recording System as per World Athletics requirements mentioned above. The Video Recording Plan must be approved by the European Athletics/Technical Delegates. For further protest and appeal procedures please refer to the following document: European Athletics Guidelines for Protest Procedure, available in the Appendices.

Team Manual

Due to the large amount of technical information involved in European Athletics events, it is essential that the competition management of the LOC, in agreement with European Athletics and the Technical Delegates, produces a Team Manual for the guidance of the participating teams.

In order to maintain a consistent standard of information for the different events, European Athletics will provide the LOC with a template in which only specific information has to be inserted.

Not all the information contained in the manual will come from the competition department therefore good coordination is required within the LOC in order to gather information from all relevant areas/departments.

The content of the Team Manual needs to be approved by European Athletics through the Competition Department before it can be officially published. The Events Operations Department will coordinate the approval process with all relevant Delegates.

The final version of the Team Manual shall be available at least six weeks before the start date of the event. The LOC shall provide the teams with the link to European Athletics’ publication online platform, as soon as it is available.

Test Event & Rehearsals

Test Event

When staging a major European Athletics event, at least one test event should be planned and held in the same competition venue before the event itself takes place. These test events shall be of a similar format to the event to be staged and should address not only the competition itself and performances of the officials, but, as much as possible, also provide tests of other areas of the event organisation (e.g. warm-up area, call room procedures, mixed zone, victory ceremonies, volunteer operations, TV production, event presentation, access & accreditation control, people flows and circulations). The test event should simulate the real event and real competitions should take place, with spectators, access controls, medical services, etc.

Whenever possible the Technical Delegate(s) shall attend the test event(s). For major events, the attendance of the Chief ITO and the International Starter is highly recommended. It is also beneficial if the Technical Partners can be involved as well.

Rehearsal Event

Apart from the test event(s) that are held during the preparation period, for all major European Athletics events a formal rehearsal event needs to be held, at the latest one day before the event.

The purpose of the rehearsal event is to test all the competition procedures, as well as set-up and readiness of all parties involved into event production, before the event goes live. It must, therefore, involve national officials, competition management, event presentation, the host broadcaster, technical partners and volunteers. Other activities such as ceremonies, security, doping control, media, etc. may also take advantage of the rehearsal to test their own activities.

The LOC shall arrange for athletes not involved in the championship itself (normally youth athletes) to provide real competitions.

Please refer also to the Technology Section.

Activity schedule on site prior to the event

Even though the LOC will prepare an overall activity schedule, the LOC Competition department needs to prepare a more detailed schedule specifically for use by the competition management. This schedule must include:

• Training schedules
• Warm-up schedules
• Call room schedules
• Competition schedule
• Technical Meeting / Briefing
• Other specific briefings (Jury of Appeal, TIC, Call Room, CE resting room) and meetings with the LOC
• Etc.

Example of Activity Schedule

Competition Procedures

Entries Procedures

Entry procedures are managed directly by European Athletics through its online Entry System; and reports will be provided to the Member Federations and the LOC as relevant.

The information entered through this system will be utilised by several departments (competition, accommodation, transport, administration, communication, etc.).

Whereas the Preliminary entries are not binding and shall be considered by the LOC only as a guide, data registered in the final entries will be the basis for the competition planning and team accounting (invoicing charges, etc.).

More details of the entries procedures, deadlines and information flow can be found in the European Athletics Competition Procedure – Entry Procedures document, available in the Appendices.

Technical Briefing

A Technical Briefing is normally held the day before the event starts. Its purpose is to provide a final opportunity for the LOC & European Athletics to update the Team representatives and key officials regarding the arrangements for the competition and to answer questions.

This Meeting is chaired by the Technical Delegate(s) and is attended by:

• European Athletics Delegates & International Officials
• LOC Competition Director & Relevant National Competition Officials (Referees and TIC Manager)
• European Athletics Competition Staff

For events lasting more than 3 days, Daily Team Leaders Meetings can be held to discuss any matter related to the running of the competitions or team services. The first such meeting should be held on the second day of competition and subsequent meetings will be held only if needed or as agreed with the team leaders.

This Meeting is led by European Athletics and is attended by:

• European Athletics Delegates (one Technical Delegate and Medical Delegate)
• Representatives of the Local Organising Committee (LOC Event Coordinator, LOC Competition and Team Services or Logistics)
• European Athletics Staff

A suitable room shall be reserved (preferably in the stadium) and, depending on its location, specially authorised access may be needed for these meetings.

Inspection of the Competition Venue (incl. Road Races)

Team Officials must be able to visit the competition venue(s) before the event in order to inspect access routes and other facilities. A guided tour, led by a member of the LOC’s Competition Management, must be organised. A good sound system should be provided for this visit.

The tour should take place prior to the Technical Meeting so that any questions or requests can be clarified there.

A guided tour must also be organised for road races and, depending on the length of the course, transportation must be arranged. In addition to the LOC competition management the International Measurer and Chief International Race Walking Judge (as appropriate) shall also be present.

TIC & Liaison with the Teams

The main function of the Technical Information Centre (TIC) is to provide efficient communication between each Team, the LOC, European Athletics Technical Delegates and the Competition Management.

The TIC is responsible for the following:

• Receipt of final entry confirmation forms
• Receipt of written questions to be answered during the Technical Meeting
• Liaison concerning technical matters between Team Delegate(s), Technical Delegate(s), European Athletics and the LOC
• Settlement of technical enquiries from the teams
• Competition information (start lists, results, etc.)
• Provision of documentation for national records (additional doping control and photo finish prints)
• Withdrawals of athletes
• Receipt of protests and appeals
• Official invitations, entrance tickets or special passes ordered by the teams

Depending on what is agreed between the Technical Delegates and the LOC the following can also be within the TIC tasks:

• Registration and collection of personal implements. (e.g. shot put, etc.)
• Return of items confiscated at the Call Room

The TIC should be located as near as possible to the Teams’ seating, to facilitate easy access for athletes, coaches and team officials. Although all accredited Team members have access to the reception area and notice boards of the TIC, only specifically authorised personnel holding the TIC card will have permission to collect information and other items from the pigeonholes.

Copies of all information must be posted on the notice boards (using different coloured paper for female and male events and for amendments to previously posted information).

The TIC works closely with the results system service provider, which manages the technology for handling the entries and producing the results and most of the other technical information. Multiple printers and copy machines will be needed and more information can be found in the Technology Section.

The TIC should have direct connections (e-mail, phone, etc.) with all Team Hotel information desks, which act as sub-TICs. Scanning and email possibilities permit speedy contact with the Competition Management and other departments.

During competitions where some events (road races, field events qualifications …) are held wholly or partly outside the stadium, a sub-TIC must be planned in order to cover all needs of the participating teams.

Team Attachés should be provided at major events. These persons, normally volunteers, should have good communication and language skills (especially those of the Team to which they are assigned), a reasonable knowledge of athletics, be responsible and accurate. Their function is to assist and advise the Teams in their daily needs and activities. The TIC and the Information Desks shall provide a list of all Team Attachés with their contact (mobile phone) numbers.

The TIC’s operation requires numerous forms, which must be prepared, copied and distributed prior to the start of the event. Templates are available in the Appendices and shall be adapted by the LOC by adding the event logo and including missing information. Forms shall not be substantially changed as teams are familiar with the formats.

At events where European Athletics’ Technical Partner is involved, a virtual TIC will also be available. The teams will thus to able to make their final confirmation and fill-in most of the competition forms online. The TIC Manager will have an administrator access to the system to manage all data.

For more details refer to the TIC Procedures in the Appendices.

Call Room

The function of the Call Room is crucial as the efficiency and timely operation of the competition depends on it. To achieve this, a thorough planning of the athletes flow and the call room schedule is required.

As soon as the scheduled reporting time for each event according to the Call Room Schedule has passed (but not before) and the athletes are present, the Call Room must notify the results data service company of any alteration(s) to the start list.

To ensure that the officials are aware of any changes, a final copy of the start list shall accompany the competitors to the event competition site.

Other Call Room responsibilities include:

• Check that bibs are correctly worn (see European Athletics Bibs Allocation and Printing Procedures available in the Appendices)
• Confiscate items that athletes are prohibited from taking to the competition arena (the confiscated items form must to be completed and the items returned to the athlete at the TIC)
• Check that the correct competition uniforms are worn (official competition uniforms are firstly checked upon arrival at the accreditation/team check-in position prepared by the LOC)
• Check that any logos and markings on the athletes’ clothing and competition kit are in conformity with WA Advertising Regulations.
• Distribution of the hip numbers to athletes in track events

For events where transponders are used a space shall be provided for the issue and checking of transponders before the athletes leave the Call room.  This is usually carried out by the Technical partner/Service provider.

In order to be directly connected with the result system, the Call Room will need to be equipped with the necessary IT facilities. More information can be found in the Technology Section.

A Call Room schedule shall be prepared by the LOC for each day, showing each heat/qualification/final, and incorporating any timetable changes. This schedule is displayed in the Call Room, TIC (also uploaded on the virtual TIC, if relevant) and at Team Hotels Information Desks.

Please refer to the Call Room Procedures in the Appendices, where you can find all details.

Combined Events

An area (provided with mats and refreshments) for the competitors taking part in combined events shall be provided, as near as possible to and with easy access to the competition arena, where athletes can rest and wait for their next event and receive assistance from their coaches or medical personnel.

Some competition procedures will take place in this resting area. For more details please see Combined Events Resting Room Requirements in the Appendices.

Access to the combined events resting area is restricted to the competitors and one other accredited person per athlete (coach, doctor, etc.) who is in possession of the appropriate combined events resting area pass. Please refer to the Combined Events Resting Area Guidelines, available in the Appendices.

Drinking Stations

According to the WA Rules, in Track Events of 5000m or longer, the LOC may provide water and sponges to the athletes if weather conditions warrant such provision. In Track Events longer than 10,000m, refreshments, water and sponging stations must be provided.

The provision of drinking stations shall be agreed with the Technical Delegates in advance so that the LOC can plan the necessary logistics (tables, volunteers, water, etc.).

For events outside the stadium please refer to the respective WA Rules.

Post Event Area (incl. Road Races)

After the conclusion of every track or field competition, all the athletes need to go through the mixed zone, where they can be interviewed by TV journalists, radio, written press and new media representatives; their stories and experiences form the heart of news (see Media & TV Section for more details).

This dedicated and restricted area is the responsibility of the media department of the LOC in cooperation with European Athletics. The competition management department must, of course, be involved in and agree its location and layout (e.g. access from the arena, space and walkthrough, surface of the walkthrough etc.).

After leaving the mixed zone, the athletes from the track events will find their belongings at the kit collection area. For out of stadium events, the LOC may have to arrange transport of the athletes’ belongings from the Call Room to the Kit collection area at the finish.

Whenever possible the return of confiscated items should be arranged in a reserved area near to the kit collection area (see TIC Guidelines). Athletes required for doping control (see Doping Control Section) or to be taken to press conferences or victory ceremonies can be collected in this area.

Health & Safety

It is the responsibility of the organisers to ensure that all event venues are safe and comply with all statutory health and safety provisions, and that the welfare of each participant, including spectators, is safeguarded. These responsibilities include ensuring that all necessary steps are taken to protect people from the hazards related to the athletic events themselves, especially the field events. To discharge this duty of care, a Project encompassing detailed planning and preparation, carried out in conjunction with the emergency services, will be required.

Planning

The health and safety plan for the event must be developed in close co-operation with the emergency services (police, fire, medical), other safety experts and the European Athletics Office and the Medical Delegate (where appointed). Responsibility for the creation and delivery of the plan should be assigned to a person with experience in this type of work. For stadium events, the venue operator should have experience in this area and should be able to recommend suitable experts. The LOC chief medical officer must be a certified physician, experienced in sports medicine and athletics events.

Planning must begin with a review of all applicable medical sports related applicable regulation as well as international and national health recommendations currently in place at the venue and any existing records of incidents that might have taken place during previous events.

Issues that must be considered include:

• Numbers of entrances & exits, including the display of clear information about emergency routes & exits
• Flow of people around the venue and keeping routes and entrances clear
• Security checks as necessary at all entrances
• Use of surveillance cameras and a central control room
• Use of the public announcement systems and/or video screen for information about safety and emergency issues
• Hire of help/information staff, stewards and security staff
• Access to/provision of public telephones (even with the increased use of personal mobile phones)
• Provision of first aid rooms
• Provision of sufficient numbers of toilets for men and women

Note that this list is not intended to be complete and that additional issues should be considered according to the specific circumstance of the venue.

Organisers should produce a risk management strategy, which includes the following elements:

• Identification of potential hazards, those who might be harmed and how they might be harmed
• Evaluation of risks (low, medium, high)
• Assessment of precautions and control measures
• Recording of findings
• Implementation of agreed precautions and control measures
• Purchase of appropriate insurance cover
• Periodic review and, if appropriate, revision of the strategy

The implementation plan must include milestones that can be monitored by the LOC and European Athletics.

Certification

The LOC guarantees to European Athletics that all certificates and permits required by the local authority’s public health and safety code for the competition venue will have been obtained by the organisers and will be valid for the period of the event.

Medical Services

The health and wellbeing of all participants, guests, officials, volunteers, spectators, etc must be of the highest priority for the organisers. Provision must be made for appropriate medical services at the competition venues as well as at the athletes’ accommodation and other sites used by the event. Responsibility for this should be assigned to a person or group with relevant experience, and in plenty of time for the necessary preparations to be made.

The implementation plan should include milestones that can be checked by the LOC and the European Athletics Office and the Medical Delegate (where appointed).

First Aid Services

Basic First Aid services must be available at the competition venues, road event courses, warm-up areas and training venues to all event participants (competitors, event personnel, media, volunteers, VIP guests and spectators).

First Aid services should also be provided at the athletes’ accommodation and official hotels if they are not already available.

The plan for these services must include treatment areas, equipment and supplies, personnel and systems of communication. In many countries, these services can be provided through volunteer first aid or ambulance associations.

The LOC must identify the nearest available hospital able to receive emergency cases as well as having a plan for transporting these cases to hospital. This plan will include the responsible personnel, vehicles to be used, routes to be followed and contact telephone numbers.

Competitor Care

The LOC must provide the facilities, supplies and personnel for physiotherapy and massage services to the athletes and these will be required at the competition venues, training and warm-up venues and athletes’ accommodation.

The number of personnel to be provided by the organisers and the periods during which their services are to be available should be agreed with the European Athletics Office and the Medical Delegate (where appointed).

As many teams and individual athletes bring their own competitor care personnel, extra working areas must be provided for them at each location.

Medical Staff & Equipment

The LOC chief medical officer should be a certified physician, well experienced in sports medicine and athletics events. He/she shall liaise and cooperate with the European Athletics Office and the Medical Delegate (where appointed).

The Athletes’ Accommodation

There must be a medical centre with a physiotherapy room located in the athletes’ accommodation.

The medical centre must provide sports medicine and emergency care to the athletes and is required to have a medical doctor present, or on call, 24 hours.

The physiotherapy room should be located near to the athletes’ medical centre, and spacious enough for both the LOC’s physiotherapist(s) and the teams’ medical staff.

A supply of ice and extra towels at all times is indispensable.

The Main Stadium

Medical care with a separate set-up needs to be available to all accredited personnel and the spectators.

The main medical centre should be located where it is easily accessible to all and with clear and secure evacuation route from the competition arena, described in the emergency plan. It should be located near a Stadium exit for emergency evacuation to hospital facilities. A fully equipped ambulance should be at the venue.

The medical centre staff must be experienced in medical emergencies as well as sports medicine. The centre should be equipped with all the necessary emergency equipment.

Medical Staff based in the competition arena must closely monitor the competitions, in readiness to act promptly and appropriately, and equipped for emergency care, quick evaluation, medical support and a quick evacuation of injured persons.

The post-event control area should not be left unattended.

The Warm-up Area

Medical Room

Furnished with standard emergency equipment.

Staffed with experienced medical personnel and sports physicians.

Physiotherapy Areas

Equipped with enough beds for the LOC and Team physiotherapists.

Constant ice supply. Ice baths for recovery. TV monitors to follow the competitions.

Road Events

For all road events the weather forecast and WBGT should be published periodically.

Special care must be taken in planning emergency care for the Marathon and distance Walk Races as well as advising on the safest timetable based on the likely weather, especially in hot humid climates.

• Emergency personnel must be quickly available to the participants at all times.
• Locate First Aid Stations at predetermined places.
• Provide a fully equipped Medical Station at the finish, including standard emergency equipment, emergency and triage medical staff.
• Provide masseurs and therapists to assist recovery.
• Provide ice baths or thermal blankets, depending on the weather conditions.

Communication

A system for clear and secure communication between medical personnel and other areas (e.g. competition director, venue managers, etc.) is essential.

Nutrition

European Athletics Nutritional Guidelines and examples of nutritional labeling aim to assist in the preparation of standardised menu proposals for Athletics competitions, in order to achieve a greater level of satisfaction and organisational success. Athletes and their coaches must feel comfortable and have confidence in the food options provided during an event organised by European Athletics.

The aim is to supply athletes with a correct sport related nutrition choice, pertaining their day-to-day food, while respecting their habits and traditions. Therefore, low-fat and nutrient-dense food options should be provided. Athletes should be informed about the food contents and nutritional value of each meal through information labels displayed near the meal item and at the entrance of the team restaurant. In this way, athletes and coaches will feel more confident about the type of food, caloric values, cooking methods and allergen information.

All meals must be served in buffet style, this being the most practical, economical, speedy and suitable way of serving teams. It also has the advantage of individualised portion sizes available to the athletes, allowing more variability and catering to different needs and tastes. Depending on the number of athletes and the number of restaurants available for the teams, two or more buffet stations should be considered.

It is also important to advise hotels that athletes normally eat more than the average person and, perhaps, there will be a need to enlarge the individual portions.

Bottled still water (without gas) must be available (minimum 1,5L per athlete/per day; provided preferably in 0,5L bottles). These amounts should be increased in hot weather.

Alternative options offering more environment friendly solution for the water distribution can be also presented to the European Athletics Office and the Medical Delegate(where appointed).

It is recommended that the caterers meet the Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Union and implement a system of food safety in accordance with the ISO 22000 and a quality management system accordingly to the ISO 9001.

If there are athletes with special needs (allergies for example), the LOC must be ready to provide special meals accordingly.

Doping Control

Description

It is the responsibility of the LOC to provide the required facilities, equipment and personnel for the operation of doping control procedures. The LOC must prepare and implement a Doping Control Plan that ensures these responsibilities are met to the highest standards.

The doping control procedures must be carried out in accordance with the following regulations:

• World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) World Anti-Doping Code
• WADA International Standards for Testing and Investigations (ISTI)
• World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules
• World Athletics Anti-Doping Protocols

(note: The WADA Code and the ISTI are the main reference documents)

Further to the above, the following reference documents shall be also consulted:

• European Athletics Manuals and Guidelines (especially the Doping Control Operations Manual)
• WADA Guidelines for Major Events
• WADA Guidelines for Sample Collection
• WADA Guidelines – Urine Sample Collection
• WADA Guidelines – Blood Sample Collection
• WADA Guidelines – Sample Collection Personnel
• World Athletics List of International Competitions

The LOC shall appoint an individual (Doping Control Manager) to be responsible for the creation and delivery of the Doping Control Plan, which shall be elaborated in line with the detailed Doping Control Operations Manual.

The Doping Control Manager must work closely with the European Athletics Doping Control Delegate (DCD), whose role is to provide advice and who must approve all related arrangements.

The LOC should also appoint a Sample Collection Agency (SCA) who will be responsible for the delivery of the doping control programme during the event and are a key partner.  It is strongly recommended to involve the SCA as soon as possible in the planning of the event.

European Athletics Office and the appointed Doping Control Delegate can provide additional valuable advice on these operations and other aspects of doping control.

Several forms and documents related to Doping procedures can be found in the corresponding Appendices.

Event Presentation

At all European Athletics events, the presentation of the competition is critical for the enjoyment of spectators and media audiences and for the performances of the athletes. High quality event presentation needs detailed and thorough advance planning in order to ensure a clear and seamless flow of information to the spectators. Efficient interfaces with the Competition Management, Techno­logy, Protocol and Ceremonies (for co-ordination of victory ceremonies) and the Host Broadcaster are essential.

The technology and techniques used are constantly evolving and it is therefore important that the Event Presentation Manager and his/her team are experienced, up to date and flexible. Good people management skills, fluency in English and the ability to work well with both competition management and the Host Broadcaster are also essential. Organisers usually contract professional event production companies for this highly specialised area, and it is also necessary to have sufficient personnel and resources. Organiser is required to seek European Athletics advice before signing a contract with an Event Presentation service provider and with an Event Presentation Manager.

Event Presentation plan, team and equipment must be specifically approved by European Athletics. The aim of event presentation is to create a “show” in the arena that is compatible with the television production. This show will be a combination of the athletic competitions and other activities, audio elements (announcers, music, crowd reactions), video elements (video screens with TV feeds and feeds from Event Presentation dedicated cameras, video clips, etc.) and data elements (scoreboard, start lists and results).

To ensure that the Event Presentation concept runs smoothly in practice and looks and sounds professional, it is necessary to create a detailed script and running order (as part of Event Presentation plan). This must be prepared in close co-operation with the LOC Competition Director, European Athletics Technical Delegates and Office and the Host Broadcaster’s Producer.

It essential to have an experienced event presentation team and all necessary techni­cal facilities.

The event presentation team may include but not limited to:

• Event Presentation Manager (EPM)
• Assistant Event Presentation Manager
• Video Screen Operator
• Scoreboard Operator
• Graphics Operator
• DJ
• English Announcer
• Local Language Announcer (if the local language is not English)
• In-field Announcer
• TV Camera Operators
• In-field Co-ordinators
• Technicians for audio, video and communication system

The technical requirements include but not limited to:

• High quality Public Address system
• High quality video screens (more details can be found in the Technology Chapter)
• A video screen mixing desk capable of mixing different feeds
• LED screens for Long Jump and Triple Jump ‘ruler’ board
• Audio connection with the Host Broadcaster Producer A communication system linking the members of the event presentation team with each other and another communication system for linking Event Presentation Manager with key Competition Management positions

A deadline for the completion of the event presentation plan will be fixed in agreement with European Athletics.

More details can be found in the Event Presentation Guidelines, available in the Appendices.