World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has attempted to rally the Japanese public behind the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games amid waning support for the event in the host country.

South Africa’s Government has confirmed that it is planning to file an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights in a last-ditch attempt to clear Caster Semenya to be allowed to compete in this year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Hopes are high that Grant Holloway may be able to secure the world indoor 60 metres hurdles record he has been so close to this year when he runs in tomorrow’s concluding World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting in Madrid.

Disgraced former International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) President Lamine Diack could soon leave France, but must first raise €500,000 (£435,000/$605,000).

Peter Ivanov has been forced to resign as President of the Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) after less than three months in the role because of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decision in the country's case against the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Cuban high jumper Luis Zayas is set to defend his title at Banskobystrická latka in Banská Bystrica tomorrow.

Britain’s world 200m champion Dina Asher-Smith equalled her British record of 7.08sec in winning the 60 metres at the first World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting of the year in Karlsruhe on a night when France’s former world pole vault record holder Renaud Lavillenie looked back to his lofty best.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has said he was concerned athletes hoping to compete at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics might be "swept along from rumour to rumour". 

World Athletics has invited expressions of interest for the 2023 World Athletics Road Running Championships, the 2023 World Athletics Relays and the 2025 World Athletics Championships.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has claimed curbing the development of high-tech footwear would only "suffocate innovation" after a number of world records were broken last year by athletes wearing Nike's new track spikes. 

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has claimed track and field athletes who are doping have a "greater chance of being caught" at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics than at any other Games.

Athletics has had a lousy 2020. Not that any sport has had a great 12 months, but the absence of a major championships after the postponement of Tokyo 2020, coupled with a severe lack of cash in the World Athletics coffers, has left the sport trailing those that have been able to keep their shows on the road in bubbles for sofa-bound audiences. Shoe wars and drug scandals have hardly helped either. Thankfully, redemption may be but eight months away, if only athletics’ leaders can seize their quadrennial moment when the world drops everything to watch its greatest runners, jumpers and throwers.

Former World Athletics Council member Ahmad Al Kamali has been banned for six months and fined €5,000 (£4,500/$6,000) after gifting watches to African delegates.

Marketing company Infront will be responsible for sourcing broadcasters for the World Athletics Indoor Tour gold-level meetings for the next three years, it has been confirmed.