<ul><li>Plan was introduced to reduce number of foul jumps</li><li>‘Athletes do not want to embrace it,’ says Jon Ridgeon</li></ul>World Athletics has scrapped plans to introduce a takeoff zone for the long jump rather than the traditional board because of widespread hostility from athletes.Jon Ridgeon, the governing body’s chief executive, said that while the proposals had gone well in trials, “you ultimately do not want to go to war with your most important group of people”. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/dec/03/world-athletics-scraps-landing-zone-idea-to-avoid-all-out-war-with-long-jump-athletes">Continue reading...</a>

قررت الهيئة العالمية لألعاب القوى التخلي عن اقتراح منطقة الإقلاع لمنافسات القفز الطويل، والتي كانت تهدف إلى تقليل القفزات الفاسدة، بسبب المعارضة الكبيرة من الرياضيين. اعترف جون ريدجون، الرئيس التنفيذي للهيئة، أنه على الرغم من نجاح التجارب، فإن الهيئة لا ترغب في خلق صراع مع أصحاب المصلحة الرئيسيين.

World Athletics ha decidido abandonar la propuesta de zona de despegue para los eventos de salto de longitud, que tenía como objetivo minimizar los saltos nulos, debido a la significativa oposición de los atletas. Jon Ridgeon, el CEO de World Athletics, reconoció que, a pesar de los ensayos exitosos, el organismo no quería crear conflictos con sus principales interesados.

World Athletics a décidé d'abandonner la proposition de zone de décollage pour les épreuves de saut en longueur, qui visait à réduire les sauts nuls, en raison d'une forte opposition des athlètes. Jon Ridgeon, le PDG de World Athletics, a reconnu que malgré des essais réussis, l'organe directeur ne souhaitait pas créer de conflit avec ses principales parties prenantes.

World Athletics has decided to abandon the proposed takeoff zone for long jump events, which was intended to minimize foul jumps, due to significant opposition from athletes. Jon Ridgeon, the CEO of World Athletics, acknowledged that despite successful trials, the governing body did not want to create conflict with its key stakeholders.

World Athletics scraps takeoff zone idea to avoid ‘war’ with long jumpers

John Ridgeon believes I was downbeat about state of his sport. CEO may have a point … so we thrashed out our differencesIt really is quite the scene. Midnight in Tokyo, Usain Bolt is DJing and the launch party for the World Athletics Ultimate Championships is in full swing. And then the World Athletics chief executive, Jon Ridgeon, walks up to me and says: “I read your <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/sep/09/athletics-save-track-and-field-social-media-noah-lyles-i-show-speed-darren-watkins">recent Guardian column</a>, and&nbsp;I thought it was very unfair.”Imagine Gary Lineker going in two-footed, having never picked up a yellow card in his career. This is the track and field equivalent. Ridgeon, a&nbsp;former world silver medallist over the 110m&nbsp;hurdles, is one of the smartest and most reasonable people in sport. He is saying, in a polite way,&nbsp;that he is really rather annoyed. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/dec/02/athletics-joining-sports-goliaths-long-way-to-go">Continue reading...</a>

واجه جون ريدجون، الرئيس التنفيذي لـ World Athletics، الصحفي شون إنجل في حفل إطلاق في طوكيو، معبرًا عن استيائه من عمود إنجل الأخير في صحيفة الجارديان، الذي اعتبره ريدجون غير عادل. سلطت هذه المواجهة الضوء على مخاوف ريدجون بشأن تصوير الرياضة ودوره فيها.

John Ridgeon, el CEO de World Athletics, confrontó al periodista Sean Ingle en una fiesta de lanzamiento en Tokio, expresando su descontento con la reciente columna de Ingle en The Guardian, que Ridgeon consideró injusta. El encuentro destacó las preocupaciones de Ridgeon sobre la representación del deporte y su papel en él.

John Ridgeon, le PDG de World Athletics, a confronté le journaliste Sean Ingle lors d'une fête de lancement à Tokyo, exprimant son mécontentement face à la récente colonne d'Ingle dans le Guardian, que Ridgeon a jugée injuste. Cette rencontre a mis en lumière les préoccupations de Ridgeon concernant la représentation du sport et son rôle dans celui-ci.

John Ridgeon, the CEO of World Athletics, confronted journalist Sean Ingle at a launch party in Tokyo, expressing his discontent with Ingle's recent Guardian column, which Ridgeon deemed unfair. The encounter highlighted Ridgeon's concerns about the portrayal of the sport and his role in it.

World Athletics scraps takeoff zone idea to avoid ‘war’ with long jumpers

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