Athletes struggle with new IAAF online registration

Feb 09, 2017

Accommodation arrangements have meanwhile been finalized for the over 700 people expected in Uganda for the world meet.

Athletes battle for the National cross country championships title at Kololo. PHOTO: Norman Katende ​

Countries are struggling to get to grips with IAAF's new online World Cross Country registration.

Local organisers of the March 26 event said that many countries were finding it hard to adopt to the new format.

As a result, only 52 countries had recently confirmed participation out of the over 70 expected.

"The number should grow by the time we get to the March 12 deadline after more countries muster the new system," noted one of the organisers.

Accommodation arrangements have meanwhile been finalized for the over 700 people expected in Uganda for the world meet.

Athletes will stay at Imperial Royale and Africana hotels while IAAF officials will be at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel. Metropole hotel will be the official media hotel.

Uganda will be the fourth African country to host the world meet.

Others that have hosted it are Morocco, South Africa and Kenya.

The IAAF Championships is the biggest competition in international cross country running.

Held annually, it was inaugurated in 1973, when it replaced the International Cross Country Championships.

In an incredible show of dominance, the senior men's team race has been won by Ethiopia or Kenya every year since 1981 in both the short and long races.

These nations have enjoyed a similar strangle-hold on the junior men's races since 1982.

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