Athletics Governing Bodies

For more information about athletics in your area, please contact your relevant governing body. Here is a brief guide to some of the biggest governing bodies, in charge of regulating athletics around the globe:

International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF)

The IAAF is the international governing body for the sport of athletics. It was founded in 1912 and is responsible for organising events such as the World Championships. The standardisation and recording of world records is also within the remit of the IAAF.

The IAAF has a total of 213 member federations (eg UK Athletics), which are divided further into 6 regional associations (eg European Athletics).

UK Athletics

UK Athletics was founded in 1999, to replace the British Athletics Federation which went out of business. It is responsible for the governance of the sport in the UK.

It has 4 member organisations - one from each of the constituent countries of the UK:

USA Track & Field

USA Track & Field are the governing body for the sport in America. The origins of the organisation can be traced back to 1878, although it only became known by its current name in 1992.

International Olympic Committee

The IOC was formed in 1894, and is responsible for the organisation of the Olympic games, held every 4 years. It is made up of 205 member organisations. Athletics is widely considered as one of the most recognised events of the games.