With funds from its IAF foundation, the World Athletics Association has set up an aid fund of $ 500,000 (460,745 euros) to support professional athletes in need due to the coronavirus crisis. As World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said, athletes will be helped who have lost most of their income through the suspension of international competitions.
The foundation, which was founded in 1986 to promote charitable causes, provides funds from its budgets for 2020 and 2021. Coe will chair an expert group to assess the relief requests that could be submitted through the six continental associations, the release said. The group of experts includes among others 1,500 m world record holder Hicham El Guerrouj from Morocco and pole vault Olympic champion Katerina Stefanidi from Greece.
“I have been in constant contact with athletes around the world and I know that many of them have been in financial need due to the cancellation of most international sports competitions in the past two months,” said Coe. “Our professional athletes rely on prize money as part of their income, and we are aware that the pandemic will severely affect our competitive season, both on the track and on the road.”
–
–
