By Duncan Mackay

Sebastian Coe has been visiting St Kitts and Nevis, where he met the country's Prime Minister Timothy Harris ©TwitterSebastian Coe has promised to review the role of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Regional Development Centres and embrace new technology such as E-learning to help ensure countries from all over the world are served better.

The pledge from Britain's double Olympic 1500 metres gold medallist came as the campaign to replace Lamine Diack as IAAF President is set to move up a notch this week with the publication of rival Sergey Bubka's manifesto. 

Both candidates have been attending the CARIFTA Games in St Kitts and Nevis. 

"Being here at the CARIFTA Games, seeing so many nations across the Caribbean compete and having spoken to many Member Federations, I do believe that we can better support athletes and coaches with the use of modern technology such as E-Learning," said Coe. 

"The benefits of this would be particularly relevant to geographic regions such as the Caribbean and Oceania that have many islands spread across large areas of ocean.  

"If elected IAAF President this is certainly an area that I will commit resources to as well as seek a relevant commercial partner that can help deliver a cutting edge global IAAF E-Learning platform."

Sergey Bubka, who also visited the CARIFTA Games in St Kitts and Nevis, is due to launch his manifesto this week ©TwitterSergey Bubka, who also visited the CARIFTA Games in St Kitts and Nevis, is due to launch his manifesto this week ©Twitter

Coe added: "It also links to my promise to ensure a wider review of the role of the IAAF Regional Development Centres (RDCs) which are currently used to host the Member Federations. 

"During 2014 there were around 60 RDC events and I want to see their role evolved and enhanced. 

"One possible solution could be the introduction of mobile RDCs, built around skilled people rather than buildings, better able to connect with Member Federations year round. 

"This, together with E-Learning, could be a much more agile and useful way of connecting directly with aspiring athletes across the globe.

"The CARIFTA Games also shows the importance of elite competition at a young age.

"These Games are treated extremely seriously by the youngsters who compete and by the politicians from the islands and are rightly seen as a stepping stone to senior success."

Bubka, meanwhile, tweeted from St Kitts and Nevis' capital Basseterre: "Caribbean is key important area for athletics. Lots of star athletes who contribute hugely to global №1 status of our sport."

The Ukrainian is due to unveil his manifesto in a Google Hangout from Kyiv on Wednesday (April 8). 

Coe aunched his manifesto – entitled Growing Athletics In A New Age and described as "a road map to deliver growth and vibrancy" - at the start of December.

The election is due to take place on August 19 in Beijing on the eve of this year's IAAF World Championships.

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