There are over 100 clubs currently affiliated to Athletics Northern Ireland.
Club affiliation and athlete registrations are payable annually on 1st April, expiring 31st March each year. Athlete registrations cease to work from 1st April onwards and athletes will not be able to enter events again until they are re-registered, without exception.
Club Structure each year we ask Affiliated Clubs to renew their Club Structure, to ensure Athletics NI holds up to date information on their Club Committee. This can be completed here: Club Structure
The Athletics NI window for athlete and club registrations has opened for the year 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026.
Athlete Registrations
Clubs are asked to renew athletes as soon as possible on Open track. There are three registration categories for Athletes as follows:
The age ranges are:
Athletes 10 or younger are not required to pay but may be registered free of charge in order to obtain a valid athlete number. Those free younger members then are also then attached to the ANI public liability cover. This also allows and understanding of the widest position on the number of athletes in NI. This is important to represent the widest position on club athletics in Northern Ireland to funders and policy makers.
All Athletes, parents or Guardians are now asked to complete the annual anti-doping declaration which is required by UKA and ANI.
The registration year is from April to March, any athlete registered from March 25 will be renewed through to March 2026 and will have access to the year’s UK wide athletics public indemnity insurance.
Club Affiliation
Clubs have an annual Affiliation fee of £140 and that unlocks access to support and having a say in the work of Athletics NI and this is now renewal through the club’s page within Opentrack.
Athletics Northern Ireland does not invoice for these items, however will issue a receipt upon request. Reminders are given in the monthly mail-outs, which your secretary receives.
OpenTrack Membership System
Athletics Northern Ireland Membership system has now moved to OpenTrack. As of April 2023 all members will now have to accept an anti-doping disclaimer in order to become fully registered with Athletics NI. This is based on guidance from UK Anti-Doping to ensure that all members are aware of and comply with anti-doping policies.
The anti-doping disclaimer should appear when you log on to your OpenTrack account, as long as you have an athlete profile linked to your account (linking the account and profile should happen automatically, but if this has not happened, please email: support@opentrack.run for assistance).
We have put together the below video and help documentation to assist Clubs/ Members and Parents through this process:
YouTube Video- OpenTrack Guide on 'How to Claim an Athlete for Parents or Guardians'
How To Guide- Licensing and Disclaimer
Retiring Athletes
Retiring athletes must inform their club that they plan to leave, and can inform Athletics NI by emailing info@athleticsni.org and notifying us of the date they will be retiring
Athletics is a sport for all ages and abilities, and with over 90 Affiliated clubs in Northern Ireland, there is sure to be one to fit your needs. By joining a club you can benefit from the knowledge of qualified coaches, as well as the social and friendly atmosphere at your local club training nights and you could even turn your training achievements into results on the competition calendar. The list of Athletics NI Clubs is available on our website, on the link below:
Below is the list of benefits for being an Affiliated club and registered athlete:
Finding a Coach
Discover licensed athletics coaches across the UK with UK Athletics' Find a Coach platform. This easy-to-use tool allows athletes, parents, and clubs to search for coaches by name, licence number, county, club, or event group. Whether you're seeking expertise in sprints, endurance, or field events, the platform connects you with qualified professionals to suit your needs, making it an essential resource for connecting with experienced and accredited coaching professionals.
Find a coach using the link below:
Club Development and Modernisation Strategy
Athletics NI are working on the Club Development Framework, which will be one of the fundamental elements of the Athletics NI 2022 – 2025 Strategy and will bring together support and resources to facilitate clubs in their mission to create that environment and to contribute to the growth of our sport. The current draft of the strategy is available here:
Club Development and Modernisation Strategy
Monthly Members Newsletter/ Club Emails
Athletics NI issue a monthly member's newsletter full of information about our upcoming events. These are sent out to all affiliated members and to club secretaries and are issued in the 3rd week of every month.
Club Committee Members will also receive an number of information emails, about event closing dates, notice of registration dates, and other updates. This is important information, so please ensure that your Club Committee details are up to date, so they can pass this information on to your club members.
Cardiac arrest occurs when someone’s heart stops pumping blood around the body and they stop breathing normally. It is possible to survive and recover from a cardiac arrest, if you get the right treatment quickly. Giving an electric shock through the chest wall, by using a defibrillator is the only way a person can recover from a cardiac arrest. This can be done in the ambulance, or at hospital, or it can be done by a member of the public at the scene of a cardiac arrest if there is a community defibrillator nearby.
Heath Matters NI provide training for Automated External Defibrillator for groups or clubs. You can find out more here: