UK Athletics and its four partner Home Country Athletics Federations (HCAFs) has officially launched the UK Wide Officials Strategy for the sport of athletics in the UK.

The strategy has been created in consultation with the athletics officiating community across the UK through a combination of surveys, focus groups, individual discussions and desk-based analysis. Whilst the strategy sets out a clear plan for all officials (off-track endurance plus track and field combined) to 2032, it will be reviewed at the end of every four-year cycle to ensure it remains time relevant and effective.

The strategy outlines a shared vision for officiating that sees a diverse, valued, extremely knowledgeable, skilled and motivated officials’ community enabling the successful delivery of the UK’s competition and events programme – a community of officials who feel proud to play their essential role across all disciplines of the sport in the UK.

The mission is one of building a dual-focused athlete and people-centred officials’ community where all officials feel valued, included, supported and motivated, and where officials support the delivery of inclusive, positive and enjoyable athlete competition experiences.

The strategic objectives are:

• Inclusive, Valued And Supported Officials’ Community:

A diverse (representing diversity within UK population), highly skilled, highly-connected officials’ community that is highly valued at each stage of the competition pathway.

• Officials Recruitment And Retention:

A clear and effective system of recruitment, support and retention for officials within the UK system.

• Officials Learning And Development:

Empowered officials engaged in a role-based officials learning system accessing a comprehensive, measured and flexible learning and development programme across the UK.

• Expert Technical Officials (World-Class):

A diverse network of supported, well educated, experienced, highly skilled international level officials, capable of continuing to deliver the best events in the World.

The full strategy can be viewed HERE.

Three virtual roadshows outlining the shape of the new strategy will begin on 22 November. Sign up to take part in one of the events taking place on the 22^nd, 26^th and 29^th. Sign-up to one of these roadshows HERE.

UKA CEO Mark Munro said:

“Athletics does not happen without officials, no matter whether delivering at a local club event or within a global championship and to ensure we meet the needs of athletes we recognise the need to train new officials and support the development of existing officials and commit to ensuring we follow through on the actions outlined in the strategy to achieve our ambitions now and in the future.

“Athletics in the UK is proud to have some of the world’s best officials, but we need to make sure that we continue to support this vital population so that structured competition can still take place for the benefit of our athletes.

“I’d like to thank all the technical officials that provided input into this strategy and we will make sure through the UK Officiating Working Group that we meet the key objectives of this plan. The action plan outlined within the document takes us up to March 2025 and each four year cycle we will check back that the strategy remains relevant, effective and continues to deliver against the targets we have outlined.”