By Mike Rowbottom at the Fairmont Hote in Monte Carlo

Beijing's Birds Nest stadium will see new qualifying standards employed for its IAAF World Championships next year ©Getty ImagesA new unified qualification system for next year's World Championships in Beijing, announced at the International Association of Athletics Federation's (IAAF) Council meeting, is likely to improve the overall quality of the event, but may result in some countries struggling to field a wide range of competitors.


The effect will almost certainly carry over into future Olympics, starting for Rio 2016.

The most obvious change in the system passed by the Council relates to entry standards - there will be only one standard set for each event by the sport's world governing body, thus doing away with the system of A and B qualifying standards.

This allowed countries whose athletes failed to fill any of their three allotted places through gaining a higher mark to select a single athlete on the strength of a B qualifying standard.

According to the IAAF, the unified entry standards - broadly speaking, a little below old A category but above B category - will combine with invitations which will effectively tighten up overall qualification standards, allowing them to standardise entries, which will in turn help organisers to anticipate the required provision of facilities such as hotel rooms and transport.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce wins the sprint relay for Jamaica at the 2013 Moscow World Championships, which operated on A and B qualifying standards that have now been unified ©Getty ImagesShelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce wins the sprint relay for Jamaica at the 2013 Moscow World Championships, which operated on A and B qualifying standards that have now been unified ©Getty Images

:"It's the first time we have ever had a single performance standard in this event," an IAAF spokesman told insidethegames.

"These Championships for the elite, so it should be the best competition possible."

However, there are concerns that European nations may find it increasingly difficult within the new system to get athletes qualified into many track events.

An IAAF statement said: "The key element of the new system, is that the IAAF shall establish the ideal number of athletes (and relay teams) to start in each event of the Championships and shall ensure that such ideal numbers are met through a qualification system which, essentially, combines entry standards (only one standard) and invitations based on performance lists."

No quotas have been set yet, but according to IAAF insiders, the international federation is working towards a system which will broadly conform to a figure of 2,000 athletes at the World Championships.

When an extra 200 appeared at the 2011 Daegu World Championships, numerous logistical problems were created.

"As in the past," the statement continued, "there are still some special qualification opportunities and it will still be possible for member federations without any qualified athletes to be represented with one unqualified athlete (subject to certain conditions)."

Member federations will continue to be able to field up to three qualified athletes in each individual event, and a fourth if they are either a reigning World outdoor champion or winner of the previous year's IAAF Diamond Race or IAAF Hammer Throw Challenge.

But only one wild card can appear for each country.

As reigning world 100 and 200m champion, Usain Bolt has a wild card entry to the 2015 Beijing World Championships ©Getty ImagesAs reigning world 100 and 200m champion, Usain Bolt has a wild card entry to the 2015 Beijing World Championships ©Getty Images



But outside the 5,000 metres, 10,000m, marathons and race walks, any remaining quota places left in an event at the end of the qualifying period can be filled "as a result of being one of the best-ranked athletes".

Athletes will also be able to qualify by finishing position in designated competitions which will serve as entry standards.

This list includes area champions for all individual events except the marathon, top 15 places in the senior men's and women's races at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships for 10,000m places.

Qualification for Beijing will be offered to the top three men and women in this year's IAAF Combined Events Challenge. Race walking places in the 20 kilometres will be available  for the top three in this year's men's and women's IAAF Race Walking Challenge, and 50km places will go to the top three in the 2014 IAAF World Race Walking Cup.

Marathon runners can qualify for the World Championships by finishing in the top ten at IAAF Gold Label marathons held in the qualification period.

Countries who have no athletes qualifying for the Championships may enter one athlete, either male or female.

The qualification period for the 10,000m, marathon, race walks, relays and combined events is from January 1 2014 to August 10 2015.

All other events have the same closing date, but the start date is October 1 this year.

Beijing reported on progress, including hotel accommodation and transport links, at today's final IAAF Council session.

The Chinese city's Local Organising Committee website is now open - you can view it here

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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