Athletics Federation of India has submitted a letter of intent to host the 2028 Under-20 World Athletics Championships, Athletics Federation of India head of global governing body Sebastian Coe told PTI on Wednesday. World Athletics (WA) had called for bids for the 2028 and 2030 championships in August this year, and Koh said he was pleased India had joined the process. “I am pleased to be able to say that we have returned with our letter of intent, or application, to participate in the bid talks for the U-20 World Championship in 2028,” Ko revealed.
“Look, this is going in the right direction (for India),” said the legendary former middle-distance runner. He has already held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya since his arrival here.
He is currently in Mumbai and met with representatives of Tata Communications, the broadcast rights holder for the first World Athletics Ultimate Championship for top athletes to be held in 2026.
Coe, who is a candidate for the president’s post in next year’s International Olympic Committee elections, added that if he is elected to the top post, athletes will be at the center of every policy the international body develops.
“I am currently working on a manifesto, which will reflect the views of all the colleagues I have spoken to and many key stakeholders in the Olympic context. ” he said.
Stakeholders consulted by Mr Coe include National Olympic Committees (NOCs), international federations, commercial partners, broadcasters and athletes.
“Athletes sit at the center of the project,” he said.
Mr Coe said one of the critical issues facing athletes was mental health and he was keen to make a difference.
“We have athletes who are, of course, more demanding in terms of issues like welfare and mental health, all of which are important.
“So for me, this is about making sure that all the different stakeholders, especially our members, are in a position to help create a situation where we can ultimately overcome the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities faced by the IOC.” One of the most controversial issues is the participation of transgender athletes in women’s sporting events. The body fought back to allow this to happen.
Under the Coe government, WA has maintained a strict women’s position, but the decision has been criticized by transgender rights advocates. Mr Coe said that despite his current position, he is a person who believes in “consensus”.
“…I am building teams and working based on consensus. There is no one size fits all, but in the specific areas you are talking about, it is mandatory for the IOC to set clear policies and frameworks. That helps international federations make those decisions.
“But we need clear, well-defined policies.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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