82 | SPORTS VENUES 2023/24 www.stadiaworld.com TECHNOLOGY in the stadiums. This is a floor made of bound plastic granulate spread in situ on base layers and elastic layers, the properties of which can be tailored to any intended use. In parallel, there is a system with rubber surfacing from the roll. Every year in May, WA publishes the complete list of all certified sports facilities worldwide. When asked which regions in the world are the most dynamic in terms of high-level athletics facilities, WA answers with: “Central Asia and China”. This is pretty obvious from the current certifications alone (see overview in this article) – on the other hand, no direct conclusions are drawn from this sheer quantity as far as the respective countries as athletics locations are concerned: “The number of Class 1 and Class 2 certifications is not necessarily meaningful as our sport is practised in 214 countries, which each have different conditions, populations and challenges.” “In a transition period” When asked about the most important developments in the certification of athletics facilities, WA answers: “The introduction in 2019 of the fiveyear initial validity for facility certificates and extendibility to 12 years of maximum synthetic surface age. As between 1999 (the launch of the system) and 2019, there was no expiry, this led to many certified facilities losing good quality and not deserving a World Athletics label anymore. We are now in a transition period, and we need to accept that a number of tracks will disappear from our certified list. We are trying to focus particularly on those facilities that are part of our competition programme, including those in the Continental Tour.” It is important to emphasise that while this certification does not look at the size and quality of a stadium with its spectator facilities and other infrastructure, the latter is included in the assessment of suitability for high-profile events. Even the rough framework for the budget of a World Championships in Athletics, which WA puts at 68 million to 78 million euros in the Bid Guide, varying according to local costs and conditions, indicates that for an event of this magnitude no venue comes into question that does not meet the highest standards. “The main stadium for the World Athletics Championships should have a minimum capacity of 30,000 spectators (...)”, says the Bid Guide and does not stop at this point, since, among other things, secondary sports facilities and a considerable media infrastructure are also added. In the Diamond League, on the other hand, the events are also celebrated in smaller stadiums at traditional athletics hot spots. World Athletics has initiated an overarching sustainability strategy that makes demands that local organisers have to deal with. On the other hand, however – as mentioned – the rigid scheme for indoor events is being broken, opening options for many interested and motivated venues to advance their sports even with smaller budgets. But there is still room for improvement for the elite as well, as WA explains: “We expect that the recent recognition of Short Track (200 m track) facilities will result in building such facilities worldwide and boost athletics also in countries where there is no budget for having new full tracks. As athletics as an outdoor sport is often subject to adverse weather conditions, therefore any closable roof stadium projects are exciting and could contribute to better performances and spectator experience.” Wanda Diamond League 2023: Venues and surfaces City Country Date Stadium Capacity Surface Manufacturer Doha Qatar 05/05/2023 Qatar Sports Club 13,000 HERCULAN SR SPRINT Herculan B.V, NED Rabat Morocco 28/05/2023 Complexe Sportif Moulay Abdellah 60,000 POLYTAN M Polytan GmbH, GER Rome / Florence Italy 02/06/2023 Stadio Luigi Ridolfi 12,000 REKORTAN M Polytan GmbH, GER Paris France 09/06/2023 Stade Charléty 20,000 SPORTFLEX SUPER X720 Mondo S.p. a., ITA Oslo Norway 15/06/2023 Bislett Stadion 15,400 STOBITAN SC Stockmeier Urethanes GmbH & Co. KG, GER Lausanne Suisse 30/06/2023 Stade Olympique de la Pontaise 15,700 CONIPUR M Conica AG, SUI Stockholm Sweden 02/07/2023 Olympiastadion 14,417 CONIPUR VMAX Conica AG, SUI Silesia Poland 16/07/2023 Stadion Śląski 55,211 SPORTFLEX SUPER X720 Mondo S.p. a., ITA Monte Carlo Monaco 21/07/2023 Stade Louis II 16,360 CONIPUR VMAX Conica AG, SUI London England 23/07/2023 London Stadium 66,000 MONDOTRACK WS Mondo S.p. a., ITA Zurich Suisse 31/08/2023 Letzigrund Stadion 26,000 CONIPUR VMAX Conica AG, SUI Shenzhen China 02/09/2023 Bao’an Stadium 40,000 TONGXIN TOPTHINK Guangzhou Tongxin Sports Eqp., CHN Brussels Belgium 08/09/2023 King Baudouin Stadium 50,000 MONDOTRACK Mondo S.p. a., ITA Eugene USA 16-17/09/2023 Hayward Field 25,000 BSS-2000 Beynon Sports Surfaces, USA Status: 7/2023 Source: Diamond League/World Athletics Picture: Gyorgy Palko Budapest 2023: Infield layout.
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