(ATR) The International Association of Athletics Federations creates a solidarity fund of $500,000 to help rebuild athletics in the Caribbean after Hurricane Irma.
"I hope these funds will go some way to rebuilding the sport in the countries most affected by the hurricanes," Sebastian Coe, IAAF President, said in a statement. "We know this is not enough but hope it will at least get the member federations affected back up and running. We will continue to seek further funds and work with the region to ensure athletes’ training is as uninterrupted as possible."
Coe visited Puerto Rico this week to view athletics facilities affected by last year’s hurricane. The fund will be made up of donations from the IAAF, the International Athletics Foundation, and sponsor Seiko.
Hurricane Irma killed British Virgin Islands athletics coach Xavier "Dag" Samuels, the first known athletics casualty of the disaster. Coe said the disaster forced Turks & Caicos, BVI and Anguilla to send athletes to Jamaica. The U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico were forced to relocate many athletes to the United States.
"Our key priority is to help ensure that athletes are able to train and compete," Coe said. "And to ensure that our member federations in the worst affected area are able to communicate and maintain operation of their federations."
IAAF officials are also in Oregon this week for a two day meeting with organizers of the 2021 World Athletics championships. This first site visit, which includes stops in Portland and Eugene, will include a media briefing by the IAAF on Wednesday.
Written by Aaron Bauer
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