The International Athletics Federation (IAAF) Walking Commission will propose several changes to the championship program to the IAAF Council. The most important thing is that from MS 2023 the length of both senior competition tracks should change - for men and women from 20 to 10 and from 50 to 30 km.

However, the first change is planned for the World Cup in 2021 in Oregon, USA, where men and women will go 20 and 30 km. The men will compete in the last 2020 at the top event at the 50 Olympics in Tokyo, and the IAAF will propose a women's 2021 km race for inclusion in the Tokyo Games program to the International Olympic Committee. The Commission is also proposing the introduction of electronic chips to control pedestrian contact with the surface, which should be implemented by 10. The IAEAF Council will discuss the recommendations of the Pedestrian Commission at its meeting on 11 and 2019 March 1. If adopted, the changes will take effect from 1. 2021. XNUMX.

In the photo, the members of the IAAF Walking Commission, who will decide on the change of walking routes:

(from left) Tim Berrett, Stéphane Bermon, Maurizio Damilano, Jane Saville, Robert Korzeniowski and Luis Saladie

The head of the IAAF Walking Commission, former Olympic winner and 20 km world champion, Italian Maurizio Damilano, explained the reason for the change of course as follows: "Our main goal is to secure the future for walking after the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo and to offer a generation of young pedestrians no less, but more than we have now - up to four disciplines, as well as two men's and women's - in the World Championships and the Olympics. Changes are not always easy, but it is absolutely essential to make them more attractive for young athletes and fans. "

The recommendation of the Walking Commission was also supported by Robert Korzeniowski, a three-time Olympic winner in the 50 km walk (1996, 2000, 2004). "As you know, I have achieved my greatest success at just 50 km. However, the world is changing, so we must be brave and move forward. This change can ensure that walking remains part of the most important sports. Events. I have no doubt that the 30 km race will offer endurance pedestrians the same opportunity to achieve their goals as it did on the 50-kilometer track. " Poliak claimed in an IAAF press release.

Behind the scenes, meanwhile, word spread that Peter Marlow, who had been a member of the IAAF Walking Commission since 1977 and had headed the European Athletics Walking Commission since 1996, had resigned as a result of the proposal. The walking expert confirmed his decision for Athletics Weekly: "I did so in protest of the commission's proposal." Marlow emphasized that the commission's verdict was not accepted at all by the pedestrian community around the world, saying that this could not only be the beginning of the end as an athletic discipline, but also the phasing out of triple jumps and shot put from the championship program, which has long been discussed at the IAAF. discusses.

Men's 50 km walk has been part of the Olympic program continuously since 1932, the men's 1956 was included in the program in 2000 and the women's at the 1992 Olympics in Sydney, when in 1996 and 10 pedestrians competed under five laps in the XNUMX km race.

SLOVAK RESPONSE TO THE PROPOSAL OF THE IAAF PEDESTRIAN COMMISSION

PETER KORČOK, President of the Slovak Athletic Association: "If I replace fifty with thirty, I'll be sorry. This discipline has always impressed me, I consider it royal. I loved her as an athlete and it was on this track that I achieved my greatest sporting success. I will also forever remember the wonderful memories of Matej Tóth's victories at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing and at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on this pedestrian route.

I have been and will be a supporter of maintaining the longest Olympic discipline on the Games program, but I also understand the argument why change should take place. I consider the fact that two men's and women's disciplines are proposed for the OH program to be positive. Ten will be fast and dynamic, thirty is a nice endurance discipline, so both could be attractive to spectators. The proposal to change the length of the tracks may or may not be an incentive for young pedestrians, but importantly, they will still have a vision of the opportunity to compete in the Olympic Games. "

MATEJ TÓTH, Olympic winner 2016 and world champion 2015 in 50 km walk: "From my point of view, the recommendation of the IAAF Walking Commission is not good at all, and it is also perceived by the walking community. On the positive side, the proposal introduced the maintenance of four individual disciplines. I understand that walking needs to adapt to trends, but I do not think that shortening tracks is the solution. Walking is an endurance sport, its fans respect it. By shortening the tracks, we will not attract new spectators. I see the solution more in making the race more attractive with the use of modern technology - augmented reality, pedestrian interviews, pre-start statements, history, statistics. After all, the stages of the Tour de France last for hours and are watched by a large number of spectators…

Care must also be taken when introducing technology control chips. I can imagine that, but pedestrians should be able to test them first in training sessions, in smaller competitions, and gradually the whole system could be introduced to large events. However, the setting should be very sensitive. The rule of visible loss of contact allows a loss of contact of several milliseconds in the naked eye. If the new chip system could not accept it, walking would be extremely slow. Financing is also questionable: who will bear the considerable costs? Chips should be used in all races, in training, we do not know what their lifespan will be. In principle, I am not opposed to their introduction, but I still need answers to many questions. I believe that even if the proposed changes are passed, it will not mean a gradual cessation of walking. My racing career will probably not be affected by the changes, but I would like to support the next generation of XNUMXs in the future. "

MATEJ SPIŠIAK, head coach of the Slovak pedestrian team and coach of Matej Tóth: "What can I say - once again, decisions are made for us without us. If they took into account the opinion of the professional community, especially pedestrians, coaches or officials of national federations, I am convinced that something like this would never happen. But does anyone care? The vast majority of competitors and national federations had a clear view on the proposed changes - to maintain the original disciplines of 20 and 50 km for both men and women. Therefore, I do not see a single reason for change. The argument that the fifty lasts too long is strange, because there are many other sports or disciplines where the competition lasts the same length or even longer.

What is the logic of moving to a shorter track, when statistically there are the fewest disqualifications and violations of walking technique in the 50 km race? I do not understand the shortening of the length of the tracks, when some time ago they canceled the 5000 m race in the hall at the European Championships or World Championships, because it was difficult to assess the correctness of the walking technique and there were many disqualifications. In my view, instead of meaningless and unprofessional decisions, the IAAF should focus on making such a traditional discipline with a fantastic history, a number of heroes, nice stories that has expanded rapidly in recent years, even more popularized, evaluated and brought to the audience. 

I feel that European and world athletics leaders are trying to bring innovation at all costs, but so far these are mostly just counterproductive decisions that, I think, do not attract new audiences and provoke rather contradictory reactions. It would be a great disappointment to me for the IAAF to approve the proposals for change. Then we probably won't do anything about it, we will have to adapt. "

MARTIN PUPIŠ, head coach of the Slovak Athletic Association: "I see the decision of the IAAF Walking Commission as an unsuccessful result of the intervention of managers who gain influence and introduce innovations such as the qualification rankings at the World Championships or trackathlon at the European Games in Minsk. Fortunately, after the pressure, none of them got into practice yet. I am disappointed that the Walking Commission has succumbed to a senseless and unconceptual pursuit of innovation. I know that its members have been under pressure for a long time and - in the end - have succumbed. Is there any relevant study or other justification that this is correct? I have no idea why 20 km is not, but 30 km is. There may be real arguments, but - they didn't sound anywhere. This is how it is in the style of an experiment - as in the case of renking or trackathlon. What if the 'innovators' feel that the marathon is taking a long time, shortening it to 12 km and the stages of the Tour de France to 25 km? On what basis did they find out that 4 hours is a lot for the viewer and 2,5 hours will be attractive?

Innovations and improvements need to be considered - but systematically. I do not agree that the problem is in the duration of the competition. How is it possible that the spectators watch 6 hours in a row cycling, several days in a row, triathlon, 24 Hours of Le Mans car races and the like? The spectator is not bothered by the length, he just needs to be offered something extra nowadays, such as biathlon. Stadium athletics is also in crisis, and the spectator must be instructed there when moderating. I also see a mistake in the fact that the Diamond League has become a common race, which is frequent and has lost its uniqueness.

Back on track, however, shortening distances can again bring back decision-making problems. The walk in the hall paid for the fact that it was a supramaximal load and there were problems with technology, because the race was short and fast… Well, after 25 years, a way is sought for its innovation and attractiveness in shortening competition distances… Unfortunately, athletics, which in recent decades it has been based on globalization, doing almost nothing to popularize disciplines, which will be gradually supplemented by all technical disciplines that need a different approach. I am not sure whether the proposal of the IAAF walking committee was sufficiently discussed, because the walking community also requested a professional conference on this topic. Several respected pedestrian experts protested against the changes.

Athletics has always had the great advantage of a synergistic effect. Today, unfortunately, we want to turn athletics into some kind of computer game. It is a pity that a couple of innovators are trying to destroy something that helped athletics get to the top of the Olympic family. I do not perceive this only in the context of pedestrian changes. Of course, I partially understand the optics of managers, but it is best if everyone pays attention to what they understand. I perceive the situation as if bankers are starting to manage / determine the right lifestyle… "

Text: GABRIEL BOGDÁNYI

WHAT WALKING DISCIPLINES AT WHICH BOOK

(IAAF Walking Committee proposal)

2020 TOKYO: men 20 and 50 km, women 20 km (however, the IAAF also proposes 50 km to the IOC)

MS 2021 OREGON: men 20 and 30 km, women 20 and 30 km

MS 2022 TEAMS: men 10 and 30 km, women 10 and 30 km

MS 2023 BUDAPEST: men 10 and 30 km, women 10 and 30 km

OH 2024 PARIS: men 10 and 30 km, women 10 and 30 km