World Athletics was named Elite Organisation of the Year at the BBC Green Sport Awards in London on Monday (7), in recognition of its ambitious initiatives to encourage and demonstrate action on environmental and climate change issues over the past year.
Launched in 2022, the annual awards celebrate individuals and organisations from across the globe who are actively contributing to a more sustainable future through their sporting profile and practises.
World Athletics was credited for several initiatives, including the implementation of its Athletics for a Better World Standard, a system that evaluates an event’s environmental, social and local economic impacts and benefits that has been incorporated into the event bidding and licencing process.
The Champions for a Better World programme, which provides platforms for athletes to speak out on their environmental and social concerns, was also noted for its impact since it was established in 2022. World Athletics’ consistent spotlighting of climate issues and their impact on sport was also cited by the Awards’ panel of judges.
‘Sport as an amplifying voice’
Speaking on the impact of the Athletics for a Better World Standard, which now requires events to consider environmental and social impacts in their planning and delivery, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: “Inclusion of sustainability metrics into our bidding criteria helps as a catalyst for change. In order to successfully bid for our events, it might actually demand greater focus on an event’s environmental impact.”
Collaboration, Coe said, is also a core component of the Standard.
“Let us use sport as an amplifying voice. I will go to my grave fundamentally believing that sport is a key vehicle for change. It doesn’t always happen quickly. It doesn’t happen overnight. But I’ve rarely seen a sport go into any political, cultural or national environment that hasn’t actually flicked the dial socially or politically.”
Coe thanked World Athletics Vice President and Athletics Kenya President Jackson Tuwei, who was in London to participate in the annual General Assembly of signatories to the United Nations Sport for Climate Action Framework on Monday, for accepting the award on his behalf.
“Jackson has quickly become one of our sport’s greatest sustainability champions. No athletics competitions take place in Kenya without sustainability initiatives playing a strong role.”
Athletics Kenya was the first World Athletics member federation to become a signatory to the UN Sport for Climate Action Framework. World Athletics signed on to the framework in 2021.
Through its Green Sport Awards, BBC Sport aims to celebrate the good news – the athletes, former athletes and organisations working hard to enact and inspire change.
The other nominees for ‘Elite Organisation of the Year’ include the motorsport series Extreme E, organisers of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) and World Rugby.
Cowley recognised for climate advocacy
Australian race walker Rhydian Cowley, a bronze medallist in the marathon race walk mixed relay at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, was named the Green ‘World Athlete of the Year’, in recognition of his climate advocacy and promotion of environmental sustainability at both local and global levels.
Cowley, who is a member of the World Athletics Champions for a Better World programme, said: “Taking action on climate change is the best way to respond to its impacts, which are already affecting our lives and our sports – impacts that I have experienced first hand in competition and training.
“Winning this Green Sports award helps me to feel like the route I’ve taken is making a valuable contribution and supports me to continue my own climate action journey,” Cowley continued. “In particular I’d like to note World Athletics and its Champions for a Better World programme for the way it has empowered voices within the sport of athletics since its creation. This has supported the Athletics for a Better World platform that has justifiably helped earn World Athletics the 2024 Elite Organisation Award.”
Cowley is also active in EcoAthletes, the Sports Environment Alliance, Champions For Earth, High Impact Athletes, and FrontRunners, all largely athlete-led groups working to promote and foster environmental awareness and action in their communities.
World Athletics
