The World Athletics recently made headlines in the world with a massive announcement on its website. Through a press release, World Athletics updated track fans that it would be changing the name of “Indoor Track and field” for future track events. The formal approval for this name change will be given in August 2023 at the World Athletics scheduled meeting in Hungary. Travis Miller from NBC Sports gave all details of this news on his Twitter handle.
The World Athletics also hinted in its press release that this new name will help new cities to host track events at more reasonable costs if there is a shortage of space. Responding to this update, many
athletics fans were dissatisfied as they were unhappy with the change and felt it wasn’t needed. The name World Athletics suggested created a furor among fans immediately.
World Athletics’ new name for ‘Indoor Track and Field’
The World Athletics gave a proposal for a new name specifically for 200m tracks on its website. It has recommended the name to be ‘short track’ instead of ‘indoor track and field. This will help to distinguish 400m tracks from 200m tracks. Defending the name change, World Athletics stated, “With the advent of modern athletics and the development of hybrid competitive venues- city squares, shopping malls, train stations- it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain the separation between outdoor and indoor athletics.” The President of World Athletics Seb Coe also regarded this change as a positive development in track and field sports.
Further elaborating, Coe said, “This change is designed to remove an unintentional barrier to competition innovation, by offering organizers the chance to explore solutions and opportunities which the current rules may discourage.” The name will also help to differentiate indoor and outdoor tracks. Reacting to this update, fans gave intriguing reactions.
Fans strongly disapprove of the new name World Athletics proposed
A track fan gave an interesting perspective that very few track events are held indoors and implied how this new name was pointless.
Later, a fan also opined how the new name was unattractive and awful.
Afterwards, another fan bluntly criticized World Athletics and spoke about how short track was better associated with skating.
Post this, one fan named Kevin also recommended World Athletics take a strong decision instead of using the new term, ‘short track.’
One fan also expressed surprise that World Athletics was focusing on this issue, hinting there were other important issues World Athletics needed to look into.
Not only this, tracks athlete, Michael Johnson,
who once complimented Jamaican athletes, gave a hard-hitting response about how World Athletics is ignoring serious issues and instead focusing on such a minor issue.
Fans’ reactions are proof of how they are upset about the World Athletics’ proposed name. The sports community will definitely watch out for the World Athletics meeting in August this year to see whether the new name is formally approved.
