Green light for ISTAF 2020: the oldest athletics meeting in the world will take place as planned on Sunday, September 13. It will be one of the first sports events where spectators will be present despite measures in force because of the Coronavirus. Thanks to a detailed shielding and hygiene concept, the ISTAF organizers plan to have around 3,500 fans in Berlin’s Olympic stadium. They, together with television viewers, will have the chance to admire the high fliers of athletics. The ISTAF is a World Athletics Continental Tour Meeting.
The Swedish world record holder for the pole vault, Armand “Mondo” Duplantis, has already confirmed his participation. Also confirmed is a local favourite Gesa Krause, who last year broke the world best for the women’s 2,000m steeplechase in the stadium. Krause is the 3,000 m steeplechase bronze medallist from the World Championships last year.
The meeting director Martin Seeber explained: “Our aim is that ISTAF can set down a marker for the sport and be a beacon for athletics. Together with our partners we want to show that even in these difficult times we are there for the fans and athletes. Certainly it will be different with 3,500 instead of the usual 45,000 spectators. But perhaps it can be a first small step back towards normality.”
Details of these plans will be announced nearer the event. “We are delighted that with our comprehensive shielding and hygiene concept it will be possible for at least several thousand spectators to be present,” added Martin Seeber. “At the core of our planning is the safety and health of everyone. We want to say a big thank you to everyone concerned, especially the medical services, the Senate Administration for the Interior and Sport, the respective health department and our partners, that they have shared the journey to this point and we now have the green light.”
More information about the ISTAF is available at: www.istaf.de
