Raising of IAAF flag at Split City Hall - (l to r) Jean Poczobut, Ivan Kuret, Pierre Weiss, Luciano Susanj (far left) with Pierre Weiss to his right (© Bob Ramsak)
Split, CroatiaWith today’s 2nd edition of the Split Women’s High Jump Meeting as a backdrop, a small IAAF delegation took advantage of their visit to this Dalmatian seaside resort city to meet with local officials who are planning the 2010 IAAF World Cup in Athletics.
Stressing that their visit to Split was not an official site inspection, IAAF General Secretary Pierre Weiss, who was accompanied by Honorary Treasurer Jean Poczobut and Director of Competitions Paul Hardy, said, “We are here to listen, to work together, to list the problems that need to be solved, and to set deadlines for the solutions.”
“I want to emphasize that the World Cup is a very important competition for us. In 2010 it will be the most important competition of the year for the world’s athletes.” Weiss added that the IAAF World Cup is one of the IAAF’s oldest competitions, with its first edition in 1977, older than the World Championships in Athletics.
Ivan Kuret, the city’s Mayor and a 1996 Olympian in sailing, said, “I’m extremely pleased that, particularly on such an important day of athletics for our city, that we can welcome our esteemed guests from the IAAF.”
The afternoon’s competition, headlined by World High Jump champion Blanka Vlasic at a venue just a few hundred metres from her home, is widely seen as the biggest sporting event to take place in Croatia this winter. A capacity crowd of more than 6000 is expected for the event, and Croatian national television will broadcast the competition live.
Luciano Susanj, the head of the Croatian Athletics Federation and a former European 800m champion, thanked the city for its attention to the planning of the World Cup.
“I really want to thank the city and the mayor for the seriousness with which they are approaching and planning the competition.”
Local officials took Weiss and Hardy on a tour of the venue, hotels and other facilities, and discussed several other planning issues.
From a competition point of view, Weiss said that one of the most important issues to be decided is the number of teams that will be competing.
Since its founding in 1977, the IAAF World Cup has featured eight teams, representing the strongest athletics nations and continental teams. While still under discussion, one idea for 2010 discussed calls for the creation of a regional team, comprised of athletes from several neighbouring countries.
Weiss said that the next phase of meetings will occur next summer. “Now is the time to work.”
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
