IAAF Race: Coe, Bubka Push for Line

(ATR) Sebastian Coe restates his key policies while Sergey Bubka picks up some star supporters ahead of the IAAF presidential showdown.

The double Olympic champion on Monday reaffirmed his plans to create an Olympic Athletics Dividend that would provide a minimum $100,000 of additional funding over a four-year period for all 214 member federations from IOC funding.

Coe was keen to emphasize that this dividend program, which would begin next January, is in addition to existing grants, taking the total available to each federation to $200,000 over four years.

With little over 24 hours until the IAAF presidential election in Beijing, the London 2012 organizing committee chairman and his rival to replace Lamine Diack, Sergey Bubka, are ramping up their lobbying efforts in the corridors of the Intercontinental Hotel.

Other key planks of Coe’s messaging to member federations is to establish a World Athletics Calendar Reform and Sports Presentation Group to enhance the positioning on the global sporting stage.

Amid allegations by German broadcaster ARD and British newspaper the Sunday Times that the IAAF has not done enough to stop doping cheats, Coe is also underlining how he will set up an external independent anti-doping agency to deal with doping violations at an international level.

The IAAF vice president is also aiming to improve relations between the athletics’ governing body and member federations, including increasing commercial support to them through new IAAF sponsorships.

"The member federations are the bedrock of our sport and the key policies that I will implement if elected aim to provide support that is better tailored to meet their specific needs and requirements at a local level," Coe said in a statement on Monday.

"The Olympic Athletics Dividend is a great example of how we can work together as the athletics family to invest in opportunities that fit with the priorities of Member Federations and help Athletics grow globally.

"Following many months of travelling and consulting with the member Federations I believe more than ever that by working together with a focus on innovation and engagement we can create a new and exciting golden era for athletics."

Bubka Rolls Out Supporters

Ukrainian football legend Andrey Shevchenko and boxing star Vitaliy Klitschko voiced their support for Bubka’s campaign at an event in Beijing on Monday involving Bubka and French pole vault great Renaud Lavillenie.

A new international pole vault meeting will be held in Renaud’s home town of Clermont Ferrand next February.

The world record-holder announced his support for Bubka’s bid for the top job in world athletics.

"Sergey’s Program is the result of deep knowledge of the sport and what the athletics family needs," he said in a statement.

"He always respects and protects athletes and the integrity of sport, and he is creative in terms of bringing athletics closer to spectators and to young people all over the world. Organizing show competitions and street athletics meets is a part of his vision, and I am happy he will become a president of our event’s LOC."

Shevchenko also weighed in with his backing for Bubka.

"I know Sergey, his desire to do as much as possible for sports and for athletics, to introduce useful and innovative projects, to use his experience, knowledge and ideas for the benefit of the sport. That’s why I’m confident that Sergey Bubka is the man to take athletics to the new heights," he said.

Klitchko added: "Sergey Bubka is an icon for the sport of athletics, and for the whole sports movement. He has an incredibly powerful positive impact on the world of athletics and he is using this power to change it for the better.

Reported by Mark Bisson

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