Tougher entry standards and the new world ranking system will be used for Toyko 2020 qualification, while the IAAF also announces Diamond League changes.

During a two-day meeting in Doha, the IAAF Council has approved the qualification system and entry standards for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

The council also approved changes to the IAAF Diamond League from 2020 set out and agreed by the Diamond League Board and meeting directors at their General Assembly two weeks ago, including reducing the number of disciplines to 24 (12 male and 12 female), with the longest distance now being 3000m.

Regarding the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, the council has decided to introduce a dual qualification system, combining both the entry standards and the new world ranking system, to determine which athletes are eligible for Olympic selection in 2020.

Initially, the IAAF intended to use only the new world rankings system, however, under this new qualification process, an athlete can qualify for the 2020 Olympics in one of two ways: Achieve the entry standard within the respective qualification period or qualify by virtue of his/her IAAF world ranking position in the selected event at the end of the respective qualification period.

The process is designed to achieve about 50 percent of the target numbers for each event through entry standards and the remaining 50 percent through the IAAF world ranking system.

The entry standards for Toyko 2020 will be more difficult for athletes to achieve compared to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, a few which are outlined below.

Disciple / women / men

Marathon: 2:29:30, 2:11:30
10,000m: 31:25.00, 27:28.00
5000m: 15:10.00, 13:13.50
1500m: 4:04.20, 3:35.00
3000m steeplechase: 9:30.00, 8:22.00

The qualification window for most events is from May 1, 2019, to June 29, 2020.

For the marathon and 50km race walk the window is between January 1, 2019, to May 31, 2020, while qualification for the 10,000m, 20km race walk and combined events needs to be achieved between January 1, 2019 and June 29, 2020.

Diamond League changes

The 2020 IAAF Diamond League will include 12 meetings leading to a single final at the end of the season. Currently there are 14 meetings and two finals.

The number of disciplines will be reduced from 32 to 24 (12 male and 12 female).

The longest discipline from 2020 will be the 3000m, currently it is the 5000m.

Each meeting will be broadcast globally in a faster-paced 90-minute television event.

The winners of the IAAF Diamond League final are given automatic qualification to the World Championships.

The changes are the result of a year-long review by the IAAF Diamond League Board and meeting directors, together with the IAAF, which included detailed research and discussions with athletes, coaches, fans and broadcasters.

“The IAAF Diamond League is the way millions of sports fans engage with athletics on a top level every year,” said IAAF President Seb Coe. “It is a strong circuit that is celebrating its 10th year but we can make it even stronger and more relevant to the world our athletes and our fans live in today.

“Change is never easy but should, wherever possible, be done from a position of strength which is what we have done.

“I want to thank the Working Group, jointly chaired by Jon Ridgeon and Christoph Joho, the Diamond League Board and all the meeting directors for the work they have put in over the last year to take stock of all that we have achieved over the last 10 years and share new innovate ideas to evolve this elite circuit of quality events that attract the best athletes which in turn gives our fans a compelling reason to tune in and follow their stars over the next decade and beyond.”

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