IAAF Hall of Fame

The IAAF Hall of Fame is a virtual Hall of Fame, which was established by the International Association of Athletics Federations ( IAAF) in 2012. Be included international, no longer active athletes who have excelled in their careers through special achievements. The recording is considered the highest award of the International Association of Athletics Federations.

History

The establishment of a "Hall of Fame" was on March 8, 2012 - one day before the beginning of the 14th IAAF World Indoor Athletics Championships in Istanbul - Lamine Diack through, president of the IAAF, announced. In the same year the International Association of Athletics Federations celebrate its 100th anniversary and it found the XXX. Olympic Summer Games in London. The IAAF Hall of Fame had been planned a long time and, according to Diack not only the achievements of the best athletes honor, but also increase public awareness of the sport and its history. As the first twelve members Jesse Owens, Abebe Bikila, Paavo Nurmi, Carl Lewis, Emil Zatopek, Al Oerter, Adhemar da Silva, Edwin Moses, Fanny Blankers - Koen, Betty Cuthbert, Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Wang Junxia were named. Until the official opening ceremony during the IAAF Centenary Gala on November 24, 2012 in Barcelona twelve other athletes were named.

For the selection of athletes to the IAAF specially created Hall of Fame Selection Panel, chaired by the U.S. IAAF senior vice president Bob Hersh, is responsible. It shall comprise athletics experts as well as long-standing members of the Association of Track and Field Statisticians ( ATFS ). Hersh himself was a longtime member of ATFS.

Criteria for acceptance

As minimum criteria, the IAAF has determined that an athlete or an athlete must have won during the active period of at least two Olympic gold medals and world championship victories. Athletics competitions for men since the first Olympic Games in Athens in 1896 in the program, for women since the IX. Summer Olympic Games in 1928 in Amsterdam. World Athletics Championships are held since 1983 (outdoor ) and 1985 (Hall ). Also, potential candidates must have introduced at least one world record. Be included athletes who have finished their careers at least ten years.

From 2013 an annual intake of up to four athletes is planned.

The stringent criteria for the initial selection in 2012 could be extended from 2013, so look for athletes recording that gained an extraordinary importance in the history of athletics medal without much success, according to the IAAF.

So far, most have been included athletes from the United States ( eight athletes), followed by athletes from the former Soviet Union or today's Ukraine ( two athletes ). Athletes from the German-speaking countries have so far not shoot. Among the 24 previously recorded athletes there are eight women. 17 of the 24 members were in running events at the start.