Iaaf Teams Up With Esports Governing Body
Athletics for a Better World, the community investment programme of IAAF, the governing bodies of athletics, has announced a partnership with the International e-Sports Federation (IeSF) that will look to develop training and fitness programmes for professional and recreational gamers.
The IeSF will partner with Athletics for a Better World in a relationship that aims to change the lives of young people through sport.
The IeSF offers Athletics for a Better World – whose ambassadors include former Olympians Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Paula Radcliffe and Wilson Kipketer – opportunities to engage more people through sport, in particular millennials around the globe who play and watch e-sports.
The partnership also opens up new communications channels such as Twitch, the popular online videogame streaming service, which allows Athletics for a Better World to talk to a new audience of entertainment fans.
Speaking at the announcement in Sochi, IAAF deputy general secretary and communications director Nick Davies said: “As the number one Olympic sport we are always looking at new ways and new means of technology to help engage young people and encourage them to take up athletics. E-Sports is one of the fastest growing sports in the world and we’re delighted to become the first governing body to partner with the IeSF. We look forward to a prosperous relationship and can’t wait to start working on new and exciting opportunities together”
Athletics for a Better World was launched by the IAAF in April 2014, as a new social responsibility programme that uses the universality of athletics to make a positive difference in the world.
