Sergey Bubka, IAAF Vice President, believes that every athletics National Federation and Area Association should own its headquarters – and that the IAAF must provide all possible support to ensure that they can acquire office facilities.
Speaking in Costa Rica at the NACAC Athletics Championships, Bubka said: ‘National Federations are the core of our sport, and in every country, their headquarters should become homes for athletes and coaches.
"The IAAF must find opportunities to provide resources for National Federations and Area Associations to ensure that they own their offices, whether through the grants or 0% interest loans. The IAAF should also participate in negotiations with national governments to persuade them to provide land for athletics bodies’ offices."
Sergey Bubka, who is also Ukraine NOC President, has successful experience of managing NOC headquarters. Due to his efforts the Committee managed to own the building which is well known in Ukraine now as ‘Olympic House’. Bubka says the offices’ ownership will also improve the administration of the Federations and release rent payments the Federations receive now from their administrative grants. These funds will certainly remain with the Federations and will be used for the development of athletics.
Bubka also believes that where possible, National Federation headquarters could be located close to training grounds. Referring to his Program that pledges that every National Federation is to have a full athletics track, Bubka added: "If I am elected as the IAAF President we will identify every Federation’s and Area Association’s needs and expectations, and will make a roadmap for the improvement of facilities.
"I have discussed this issue with many Athletics family members and visited many National Federation offices. I know well that in many cases Federation HQs would be located within the training/competition facility, thus creating an athletics complex with offices, conference halls, classes for educational courses, gyms, changing rooms and a track itself. We will use an individual approach and adjust our development programs to produce the facility that every Federation or Area Association needs."
Bubka insists that the ownership of the office is key for the development of the sport as it will provide Federations with the opportunity to mastermind the facilities in accordance with their specific needs.
Sergey Bubka is a candidate for the Presidency of the IAAF, and the election will be held in August 2015 during the IAAF Congress in Beijing, China.
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