Euromeetings discussed mainly the future
AMSTERDAM: The group of top European One-Day Meetings called Euromeetings had a succesfull General Assembly during the European Athletics Convention last weekend in Amsterdam. In great attendance (only 5 out of 53 meeting members were missing) they discussed mainly the views for future.
The IAAF plans to restructure the one-day meets scene from 2010 were presentedy by Luis Carulla (IAAF Marketing Director) and Neill Duffy of Mindspring Agency who are on IAAF behalf working on the project. Meeting representatives were urged to give their feedback to the proposed changes. Also European Athletics plans to restructure their permitted events (Premium and Classic meetings) which also affects the Euromeetings members.
EA will build a working group for the changes to which Euromeetings are entitled to nominate two members. President Rajne Soderberg in his reports stated that 2008 was an excellent year for the sport and the meetings too. Problems mentioned were in connection with athletes participation and national federations not allowing them to be at certain meetings in certain period of the season. Calendar clashes are always a issue.
Euromeetings is also continuing in its strong standpoint against doping. The members were congratulated as in more than 95% of cases the meetings were following the recommendation not to accept athletes with a passed doping offence. This will continue also in the coming season 2009. As new members were accepted the traditional IAAF Combined Events meet Decastar of Talence, France and indoor meeting in Dusseldorf, Germany. After one year also the outdoor meeting in Linz, Austria is returning, but with new organisation.
The next Spring Meeting of the organisation will be held in Lausanne on April 18, 2009 in connection with European Athletics Congress.