Ian Richards

Race Walking Judge, National Race Walking Centre at Leeds Beckett University

How long have you been an official?

I started officiating formally in 2008 but I had been helping in various capacities and involved in events for about 20 years or so prior to this.

I was a race walker in my youth but gave up around 17 years ago and now I just do some running to keep fit.

What interested you about officiating?

Like many others, I guess I fell into it. I had always been involved in athletics from an early age both as an athlete and through helping at various events. My dad was a club official and on various county committees and I was always roped in to help; I think from the age of 5 I was helping at cross country events!

I competed in race walking at university but also helped run the athletics club and started helping with events and from there I started getting more involved in the organising of events especially race-walking events.  Firstly, the national race-walking championships and then the annual international in Leamington and the European RW Cup which became the RW Team Championships in 2007.

Because of this I got involved in setting up the race-walking centre in Leeds so I started officiating more formally to enable it to become self-sufficient and mean it could put on more race-walking events.

I teach sports, business and management at Leeds Beckett University so it crosses over with my career but the officiating I do as a volunteer. The University is very supportive and, of course, my experiences are very useful to be able to share with my students so it is beneficial to both parties.

Where are you in your officiating journey?

I initially worked with experienced race-walking judges locally and I was lucky enough to go to some international events so I became immersed in that world which helped me to gain valuable experience.

In 2012 I was appointed to the national panel so the equivalent of level 4. I started to do the national champs, indoors and outdoors.

I took the European Athletics International Race-Walking Judges panel exams in 2013 and passed so I have sat on the European panel since 2014 with my first event the European U18 Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia in 2016.

I have officiated at the World Race-Walking Grand Prix events, now World Tour events in Spain and in Portugal and got a few invites to various national champs around Europe.

At the World Athletics Championships in London in 2017 I was Assistant Chief Race Walk Judge. In 2018 I retook the European level exams and finished in the top four so that took me through the World Athletics Panel exams which I also passed.

This took me onto the World Athletics International Race-Walking Judging Panel which has led to a number of major champs around the world including a couple of World Tour events in China, the European U23 Champs in Gavle, Sweden and the World U20 champs in Colombia this year. In all, I have probably officiated in about 12 different countries now.

For next year, I have just been appointed the European Athletics Team Race-Walking Championships in the Czech Republic and to the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

Alongside my officiating, I have done a lot of work on officials tutoring and working with colleagues to develop a race-walking pathway so bring it into line with other officiating disciplines following the same level one to four. This has been in conjunction with England Athletics and British Athletics. It has been beneficial to bring race walking officials into the overall athletics officiating community.

I have helped out with track and field officiating when I have been at events, and I have my level one track qualification but it is important that we have multiple qualifications so we can support one another and share experiences and good practice. I consider myself to be an athletics official, not solely a race walk official.

What is your favourite moment as an official?

At London 2017, my first international championships, I was lucky enough to have my father there officiating too. He has been involved in athletics for sixty years, so it was special that we were both there on the officiating team. He has been organising events and was club secretary for various athletics related groups for many years, but when I started officiating I dragged him into race walking judging.

What do you love most about officiating?

The sense of community; locally, nationally and internationally I have made friends all around the world through officiating and going to various events – places I might never have got to otherwise.

What are your ambitions in officiating?

My immediate aim was to officiate as an international judge at a world champs and I have now been appointed for Budapest so I will achieve that next year. I have been appointed as an international race-walking judge for the 20k and 35k.

After that it would be really special to be involved at an Olympic Games.

What would you tell others thinking about becoming an official?

Be open minded and consider all the different disciplines especially race walking. Try out different disciplines – track and field.  It can lead to a great opportunities to travel and experience cultures and meet so many different people.

Using only three words describe what officiating means to you?

• Fun
• Friendships
• Rewarding