IOC President Thomas Bach (right) has accepted an invitation to speak at the next European Athletics Convention by the federation's President Svein Arne Hansen (left) ©Getty Images

Next month’s European Athletics Convention in Lausanne will involve a full house of keynote speakers following confirmations of attendance from the International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, newly-elected International Association of Athletics Federations President Sebastian Coe and Patrick Hickey, President of the European Olympic Committees.

European Athletics President Svein Arne Hansen personally invited each of the Presidents to speak at the opening of the new-look Convention on the morning of Friday October 16.

Any comments from Coe on Hansen’s proposal that elite meetings contain European-only races in middle and long distances, or from Hickey on how athletics will figure in the second European Games to be held in 2019, would be interesting to hear.

European Athletics President Svein Arne Hansen (second left) has invited Thomas Bach, Sebastian Coe and Patrick Hickey (seodn right) as keynote speakers at next month's European Athletics Convention ©Getty Images
European Athletics President Svein Arne Hansen (second left) has invited Thomas Bach, Sebastian Coe and Patrick Hickey (second right) as keynote speakers at next month's European Athletics Convention ©Getty Images

“European Athletics is honoured that the Presidents of the International Olympic Committee, International Association of Athletics Federations and European Olympic Committees will address our Member Federations at the Convention,” said President Hansen.

“We are sure that our Members will derive great value and inspiration from these speeches.

“We believe that this year’s Convention will be the biggest and best ever after our decision to revamp the format.

"It will further unite the European Athletics community and generate increased media interest.

“A jewel in the crown of the Convention is, of course, the European Athletics Golden Tracks, and I am looking to a glamorous and prestigious night attended by our best athletes of 2015.”

An overhaul of the Convention was one of the first items the Executive Board addressed following the European Athletics elections in April, creating a working group made up of Vice President Frank Hensel, Council member Márton Gyulai and European Athletics Head Office staff.

The Golden Tracks, the annual awards for the men’s and women’s European athletes of the year and rising stars, will take place at the Swiss Tech Convention Center in Lausanne on Saturday, October 17.

The TV programme will be streamed live worldwide on the European Athletics website, with a highlights programme distributed by Eurovision to its members.

The Convention programme from October 15 to 19 also includes a European Athletics Extraordinary Congress, the traditional Calendar Conference for athletics meeting organisers, and European Athletics Forums.

There will be a new addition to the Convention in the form of the European Athletics Communication Managers Seminar, focusing on the promotion of the the Amsterdam 2016 European Athletics Championships.




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