Global Body to host 11 Diamond League meetings

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe. [AFP]

World Athletics Diamond League organisers has announced shortened, provisional calendar for August, September and October while others have been cancelled as organisers continue to adapt the season in the face of the coronavirus crisis.

Yesterday, Wanda Diamond League announced a shortened, provisional calendar for late August, September and October 2020. 

In recent weeks, the Diamond League has been forced to suspend a number of its meetings as a result of health and logistical concerns brought about by the global coronavirus crisis.

This provisional calendar will see a number of Diamond League meetings go ahead as one-off exhibition events while others will be staged as adapted Diamond League meetings. There will be no events in July and the first half of August (other than National Championships where possible) and the season will instead be extended to October.

The 2020 Diamond League will not be a structured series of events leading to a final as is usually the case. Given the current discrepancies in training and travel opportunities, it would be impossible to ensure a level playing field and a fair qualification system during 2020.

Athletes will therefore not earn Diamond League points this season and there will not be a single, 24-discipline final in Zurich as originally planned.

The new provisional dates for Diamond League events in 2020 will be: In August: Monaco (14th), Gateshead (16th) and Stockholm (23rd).

In September: Lausanne (2nd), Brussels (4th), Paris (6th tbc), (Rome/Naples (17th), Shanghai (19th) In October: Eugene (4th), Doha (9th), a second meeting in China (17th, venue tba). 

Rabat (31st May, suspended in March), London (scheduled for 4th July) and Zurich (9th-11th September) have been cancelled.