Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Adam Gemili join Athletics Association board

The independent organisation for track and field athletes, the Athletics Association, has formally launched, with world heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson and 2017 world relay gold medallist Adam Gemili named as members on its board.

They will represent combined events and sprints respectively, and join representatives from every continent. Other gold medallists on the board include the USA’s Allyson Felix, the Bahamas’ Shaunae Miller-Uibo, Jamaica’s Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce and New Zealand’s Tom Walsh.

The new union aims to give elite track and field athletes a greater say in the future of the sport, and was created by two-time Olympic triple jump champion Christian Taylor last year. He was responding to controversial changes to the Diamond League series, which saw the triple jump, the 200m, the 3000m steeplechase and the discus all dropped from the Diamond League Final.

We’re going to be unbiased and express exactly what the athletes feel

– Christian Taylor

It was reported at the time that World Athletics made the changes because it wanted a “faster-paced” event. Taylor said: “That was the catalyst. Enough became enough. We said: ‘Let’s stop being on the receiving end.’ As we’re the main source of income for the sport, why are we not part of the discussions?”

Although World Athletics has an Athletes’ Commission, which is designed to represent athletes’ interests, Taylor says more is needed: “How far can you steer left and right because you don’t want to bite the hand that feeds you? We’re going to be unbiased and unfiltered and express exactly what the athletes feel.”

The Athletics Association has outlined its initial objectives for the sport. It has presented a welfare charter and highlighted a commitment to improving the conditions for athletes. It seeks a seat at the table with World Athletics “to command real involvement and power when it comes to decision-making in the sport”, but it also hopes to present the body with “innovative ideas” for the growth of the sport.

The association will lobby both World Athletics and the Diamond league stakeholders regarding changes to the Diamond League schedule, and intends to solidify a membership package that will offer athletes courses on issues such as financial literacy and life after the sport.

The IOC has been under pressure following the death of George Floyd

Taylor said that he wants the union to help bring about reform of Rule 50 of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) charter, which states that political, religious or racial propaganda is not permitted on Olympic sites. This includes taking a knee, and the IOC has been under pressure following the death of George Floyd.

He said: “For the IOC to say you could be punished if you show a sign of protest on the podium has been fuel to our fire because this is a breach of our human rights. So, we are challenging the IOC. It doesn’t have to be that Rule 50 is abolished, but this gives us a chance to express our frustration or stance and, if done in a peaceful manner, we don’t understand why this avenue would be taken away.”

In a statement, the organisation said: “The Athletics Association aims to engage in positive dialogue with the sport’s governing body, World Athletics, and their own athletes’ commission, but will of course hold World Athletics to account when necessary and challenge them if they are not acting in the best interest of the athletes.”