Six leading athletics federations worldwide have been nominated for the highly prestigious Member Federations Award ahead of the World Athletics Awards 2025. This award recognises a Member Federation that has distinguished itself through outstanding accomplishments throughout the year, contributing significantly to the growth and profile of athletics on a global scale.
The shortlisted federations, nominated by each of the six World Athletics area associations, reflect excellence in governance, athlete development, and innovation in promoting the sport. The nominees are:
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Botswana Athletics Association (Africa): Marked by historic performances at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, including Collen Kebinatshipi winning the 400m world title and the 4x400m relay gold, showcasing strong long-term talent development and high-performance programs.
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Chinese Athletics Association (Asia): Demonstrated institutional innovation, event hosting excellence with major World Athletics competitions, youth development, gender equality initiatives, and enhanced athlete safety and rights.
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Federacion Ecuatoriana de Atletismo (South America): Guided by strategic participation growth plans, Ecuador secured historic gold and bronze medals at Tokyo 25, while emphasizing safeguarding, inclusivity, and athlete welfare through new policies.
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Athletics New Zealand (Oceania): Celebrated landmark successes at Tokyo 25 with multiple medals, strengthened athlete pathways, launched a national development workforce, and released a high-performance plan leading to future Olympic Games.
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Real Federacion Espanola de Atletismo (Europe): Achieved record medals at European U20 Championships, hosted major events, expanded community athletics, improved governance and modernized operations, while promoting gender equality.
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USA Track & Field (NACAC): Dominated the Tokyo 25 medal table, focusing on coach education, safeguarding, dynamic initiatives for women athletes, and launching a streamlined domestic competition tour for 2026.
Meanwhile, the winner will be decided by the World Athletics Executive Board and announced on 28 November via World Athletics digital platforms during the awards ceremony. This recognition celebrates not only athletic prowess but the essential organizational leadership driving global athletics forward.
Moreover, these federations stand as exemplars of dedication, innovation, and impact, embodying the broad spectrum of efforts required to elevate the sport worldwide. In addition, the Member Federations Award spotlights the vital role of federations in nurturing athletes and expanding athletics’ reach across continents and cultures, setting a high standard for the future of the sport.
