Two years ago Little Athletics Australia and Athletics Australia had a plan to merge. Hear the views of their CEOs about what has happened since and the directions they are now heading.
This is the third article in a three-part series, looking at what has changed in the past two years since the One Athletics merger vote, what the current issues of the day are, and what visions there are for the future of the sport. You might like to also check out our earlier articles:
- One Athletics: Two Years On – summary of the One Athletics project and governance changes since
- The First Merged State – Q&A interview with Athletics West CEO, Vince Del Prete
- State Body Perspectives – Q&A interviews with Little Athletics Queensland CEO, Christopher Davis, and Athletics NSW President, Matthew Whitbread, where they discuss lost government funding, increased membership, new products and event clashes
We encourage you to read in full the responses provided below, with thanks to Little Athletics Australia CEO, Myles Foreman, and Athletics Australia CEO, Peter Bromley. However, the two quotes below shed light on divergence from where the organisations were placed two years ago:
LAA also plays a key national role as the peak body for Little Athletics nationally and undertakes its responsibilities in the same way other peak bodies do who are recognised as NSOs. LAA looks forward to a day it can also be recognised as an NSO. Myles Foreman, Little Athletics Australia CEO, on Little Athletics Australia being recognised by the Australian Sports Commission as a National Sporting Organisation, alongside Athletics Australia.
We’ve already seen the positive impacts of some of our State Member Associations such as Athletics West and Capital Athletics merge, and we see this as the way forward. Peter Bromley, Athletics Australia CEO, on mergers between state level athletics organisations.
Little Athletics Australia
Q&A interview with CEO, Myles Foreman, who has been in the role for 18 months.
What do you think have been the best developments in Australian athletics over the past 2 years?
Through the hard work of the Little Athletics Community nationally over the past 2 years, participation numbers have grown post COVID to exceed pre COVID participation numbers. Now with 90,000 little athletes and 60,000 active volunteers Little Athletics has continued to build upon and provide a Foundation For All Sports, in addition to being a vital and evolving segment of the Australian athletics community and Australian sporting landscape.
As a grassroots sporting activity Little Athletics would not be possible without the 60,000 volunteers. These volunteers’ power Little Athletics and, in an environment, where individuals are increasingly time poor and it is getting harder and harder for Sport to attract and retain volunteers Little Athletics Australia (LAA) and State and Territory Member Associations (MAs) have focused heavily on supporting the Little Athletics Centres/Clubs and Volunteers.
LAA organisationally has focused on reviewing, evolving and in turn ensuring resources, structures and focus are supporting the Little Athletics Community.
LAA and Athletics Australia (AA) have worked to establish and build upon an open dialogue at a national level.
Currently LAA and AA are working together on several key projects such as Joint Insurance and the Single National Platform Project and we look forward to continuing to explore other opportunities to collaborate and expand collaboration with AA in 2024.
What are you most looking forward to over the next 2-3 years?
In 2024 Little Athletics will celebrate 60 years since it’s foundation. This will be an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the thousands of little athletes and volunteers who have participated in Little Athletics over the past 60 years. As a Foundation For All Sports many of the little athletes have gone onto other sports, achieved in many non-sporting fields and transitioned within Australian athletics to senior athletics. The 2024 Annual Hall of Fame Ceremony will acknowledge the Inductees across Track & Field, Sportsperson, Achievers and Volunteers.
Having established new national marketing and branding and with increased investment from LAA to promote Little Athletics we are looking forward to welcoming an increasing number of participants and volunteers to the Little Athletics Community and providing them with a fun and safe environment. This will align with the increased profile for sport and athletics in an Olympic year. This will continue to be a key segment of the Australian athletics community with Little Athletics being one of the key feeders into senior athletics.
In July 2022 Little Athletics adopted its first Strategic Plan, ‘’Post One Athletics’ and has worked hard to build strong foundations for the future. This in turn will support LAA’s ability to deliver a number of key projects over the next 2-3 years which are all intended to provide an improved experience for our athletes and volunteers as well as increased opportunities to participate.
In two states – WA and ACT – there is now a merged state organisation that is affiliated with both LAA and AA. Is LAA supportive of its state associations merging with their AA affiliated counterparts?
This is ultimately a decision for the State and Territory Member Associations. Capital Athletics (CA) and Athletics West (AW) continue to affiliate with LAA and AA. LAA continues to work closely with both organisations to support the delivery of Little Athletics as a key segment of Australian athletics as a Foundation For All Sports including being a feeder to senior athletics.
There is a claim made in the minutes of the Little Athletics Queensland Board meeting from July: that LAA has pursued membership of the International Workers and Amateurs in Sport Confederation as a way to seek National Sporting Organisation status from the Australian Sports Commission (ASC).
Is this correct? What likelihood do you think there is that this will occur?
Read the Little Athletics Queensland July Board Minutes published on their website
AA is aligned with World Athletics and given the role it plays as a segment of Australian athletics AA is rightfully recognised as a National Sporting Organisation (NSO) and LAA fully supports this.
LAA also plays a key national role as the peak body for Little Athletics nationally and undertakes its responsibilities in the same way other peak bodies do who are recognised as NSOs. LAA looks forward to a day it can also be recognised as an NSO.
LAA has been broadening its partnerships and relationships over the past 18 months to ensure Little Athletics continues to evolve and be a valued segment of the Australian athletics community.
To this end LAA joined Sport Environment Alliance (SEA) in 2022 as part of developing Climate and Sustainability policies and programs. LAA is a Member of Pride In Sport as part of ensuring Little Athletics offers a safe and inclusive environment for all members of the Little Athletics Community. LAA is an Official Supporter of the Australian Sports Commission Sport Volunteer Coalition Action Plan. LAA has joined the National Redress Scheme, has adopted the National Integrity Framework (NIF) as Best Practice for LAA and is working with Sport Integrity Australia on a broader adoption of NIF.
Joining the International Workers and Amateurs Sport Confederation (CSIT) formed part of this strategy to build strong local and international partnerships from which the Little Athletics Community can benefit and learn. This is true of CSIT and it has already provided LAA with access to a range of relationships and resources which are assisting with the review of key national LAA policies.
While CSIT does run a World Games every two years it does not currently offer athletics opportunity for athletes aged U14 and U15. CSIT are reviewing such a change and understand that LAA would not send a development squad unless the age group expands down in age and the overall experience met LAA Standards.
If LAA were recognised as an NSO by the ASC that would presumably open up funding opportunities. What initiatives would LAA look to pursue with LAA funding that it can’t with its current resources?
For LAA potential recognition as an NSO is less about the funding opportunity and more about recognising Little Athletics as an important element of Australian athletics and the ability to work more closely with the Australian Sports Commission and other national bodies such as Sport Integrity Australia to advance Little Athletics as an element of Australian athletics.
Fast forward to 2032 and Australia has just hosted an amazing Olympic Games in Brisbane. What’s your vision of how Australian athletics looks at this time and for the period beyond?
Each segment of Australia athletics has been able to maximise the tremendous opportunity the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games presents to promote all sport and in particular athletics. Most importantly all segments of Australia athletics have worked together to maximise this opportunity irrespective of what organisational structures have evolved by that point in time and that Australian athletics is working collaboratively to maximise this opportunity.
For the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games athletes across all sports Little Athletics as a foundation has setup the athletes for personal success in 2032. Further and most importantly via continued and expanded collaboration over coming years we can further advance Australian athletics on the back of track & field success in 2032 and have increased overall participation and retention.
Athletics Australia
We caught up with Athletics Australia CEO, Peter Bromley. Since the interview was conducted, Athletics Australia was recognised as World Athletics’s Member Federation of the Year.
What do you think have been the best developments in Australian athletics over the past 2 years?
Over the past two years, Australian athletics has witnessed several noteworthy advancements that have significantly impacted the sport for the better. It’s an obvious one but the success of our high performance athletes has been a highlight. From Tokyo through to Oregon and Birmingham, and through to the success of our athletes and coaches at the World Athletics Championships and World Para Athletics Championships, we’re in a very good place on the global athletics scene.
Outside of the High Performance space, we have done a lot to engage our main stakeholders being our athletes, and also the general public. The set up of the Athletes Advisory Commission marks a crucial step in fostering athlete involvement and empowerment within the sport. The platform allows athletes to have a voice in the decision-making process at Athletics Australia, ensuring their perspectives are considered in shaping the future of the sport.
We’ve also engaged our Alumni in a different way to how we have before. Involved former athletes and alumni in our initiatives has helped strengthen the Australian athletics community and demonstrates a commitment to drawing from their experiences and their expertise. This engagement can provide invaluable insights into the sport’s evolution.
Another area is through events such as the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, the Sydney Marathon and our domestic season. The hosting of WXC Bathurst showcased our capability to deliver and conduct international events at the global level. Such events not only promote the sport locally but also enhance our reputation as a host for prestigious athletics competitions. The success of the Sydney Marathon has seen us advance to the next stage of candidacy for the event to become one of the Abbott’s World Marathon Majors. With 42,000 involved this year – more than ever before – it was a sell out event, and if we are able to become a major, we’ll be able to provide a platform for local talent, attract international athletes and engage recreational runners in a new way, elevating the status of Australian athletics globally.
Finally, we’re put a lot of work into our domestic season over the last few years. The inaugural edition of the Maurie Plant Meet – Oceania’s one and only World Athletics Continental Tour Gold level meet – captivates fans and also gives our athletes a different experience on home soil and another way to earn world ranking points. It’s been a great addition and we’re looking forward to seeing how it evolves over the next few years.
What are you most looking forward to in Australian athletics over the next 2-3 years?
Looking ahead in Australian athletics for the next few years, there’s an exciting array of developments to anticipate. Obviously Paris 2024 is what everyone is most looking forward to next year. The pinnacle of athletics is always a focal point, and anticipating the performances of our athletes on the global stage – especially in the position we are in – will be a highlight.
Off the back of Paris, I’m looking forward to the continued resurgence of our sport, and particularly the emergence of numerous talented juniors coming up the ranks en route to the Brisbane 2032 Games, and how the elevation of our sport will impact our current elite athletes. This will also go hand-in-hand with the High Performance Programs that we have on offer, that benefit coaches and athletes alike. Further development and expansion of these programs will contribute to the depth of athletics and it’s something to be really excited for.
We’re also committed to diversity and inclusion across teams, and it’s a critical aspect of what we are doing. The work we are doing now, such as our Women in High Performance Coaching program, will allow the sport to become more inclusive, which not only reflects important societal values but also enriches the sport with a broader range of perspectives and talents.
I’m also very hopeful of a positive outcome for the Commonwealth Games. It holds immense importance for athletes, coaches, officials and volunteers. It serves as a platform to showcase our talent and an important building block for elite athletes en route to the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Our President Jane Flemming and Board Director Steve Moneghetti appeared at the hearing for the Inquiry into the 2026 Commonwealth Games Bid and discussed the issues impacting our sports and athletes as a result of the cancelation of the Games. Our submission can be read here: https://www.athletics.com.au/news/submission-on-the-2026-commonwealth-games-bid/
In two states – WA and ACT – there is now a merged state organisation that is affiliated with both AA and LAA. Is AA supportive of its state associations merging with their LAA affiliated counterparts?
We’ve already seen the positive impacts of some of our State Member Associations such as Athletics West and Capital Athletics merge, and we see this as the way forward. This move toward merged state associations allows for greater collaboration, resource sharing and a more cohesive approach to developing athletics at both the grassroots and elite level. By working together, the merged organisations can combine their strengths and expertise to better serve the needs of athletes, coaches and officials in their respective states and territories. Regardless of any merger we will continue to work in collaboration at state and national level.
Fast forward to 2032 and Australia has just hosted an amazing Olympic Games in Brisbane. What’s your vision of how Australian athletics looks at this time and for the period beyond?
In the afterglow of an incredible Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brisbane, the vision for Australian athletics in 2032 and beyond looks vibrant and inclusive. Athletics will hopefully stand as a united sport, fostering inclusivity and accessibility to all. We are a truly global sport that makes an impact on the lives of 3.7 million who are engaged in the sport formally or through running and walking activities. I expect that this will only grow, which is a really exciting prospect.
The fanbase and membership across clubs and Member Associations will have experienced significant growth. We know athletics has the ability to capture the imagination of Australians, but it will draw in more enthusiasts and supporters. The success of Brisbane will serve as a catalyst, driving interest and participation in track and field events at all levels.
Having a successful home Games will also impact the lives of children across the country. Kids under 14 years will perceive sport, and particularly athletics, as an integral part of their daily lives. The culture will have shifted positively, emphasising the importance of physical activity and sports engagement from a young age. Athletics programs, both in schools and communities, will have become the norm, nurturing a generation of aspiring athletes and active individuals.
Finally, the infrastructure built for the Games will remain a legacy for Australian athletics. There is work to do here, but our vision is that the world class visions will become hubs for training, competition and grassroots development programs. The accessibility of such infrastructure enhances the training opportunities for athletes across the country, enabling them to excel and compete on the global stage.
