Following a proposal by Sebastian Coe, the International Association of Athletics Federations on Monday froze all new transfers of allegiance in athletics by exercising its powers under the Constitution to revoke Competition Rules 5.2(b).
The other rules revoked with immediate effect are 5.4(d) and 5.4(e).
This was made known in a statement after the 208th IAAF Council Meeting held at the Riviera Marriott Hotel, Cap d’Ail, France.
The statement said a working group has been set up to study the subject area and would submit proposals for new rules as a matter of urgency and no later than the end of 2017.
The statement quoted Coe as saying that it has become abundantly clear with regular multiple transfers of athletes especially from Africa that the present rules are no longer fit for purpose.
The statement said: “Athletics, which at its highest levels of competition is a championship sport based upon national teams, is particularly vulnerable in this respect.
“Furthermore, the present rules do not offer the protection necessary to the individual athletes involved and are open to abuse.”
It said that the decision did not affect the 15 applications for transfer which were already in process.
It also read that Hamad Kalkaba Malboum, Africa Area Group Representative on the IAAF Council, will drive this piece of work with the working group chaired by Hiroshi Yokokawa.
Kalkaba Malboum, the President of Confederation of African Athletics, said: “The present situation is wrong. What we have is a wholesale market for African talent open to the highest bidder”.
Malboun said: “Our present rules are being manipulated to the detriment of athletics’ credibility.
“Lots of the individual athletes concerned, many of whom are transferred at a young age, do not understand that they are forfeiting their nationality.
“This must end and a new way forward found which respects the athletes’ rights and the sports’ dignity.”
NAN.
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