Dear fellow official
On behalf of the home countries, thank you to all the officials who submitted their feedback about the officials’ pathway earlier this year. Having reviewed the feedback, the officials’ pathway for 2025/26 has been finalised and is attached for your viewing. The following changes have been made to the track/field and Endurance officials’ pathways
Track/Field
Level 2 – no changes
Level 3
- Starter – Minimum of 15 practical experiences as a Starter and minimum of 5 practical experiences as a Starter’s Assistant since attaining level 2
- Rationale - Previous number of experiences for level 3 starters required was not realistically achievable for all officials
All disciplines
- Level 3 Chief/Referees report -By a Level 3 Official (of 2 or more years) or above – including one as a chief/referee at a suitable level meeting. If there is not a higher-level official in your chosen discipline to write the level 3 chiefs report, evidence of acting as a chief/referee at suitable level meeting must be included within the Record of Experience. This must be supported with confirmation of you fulfilling the role of chief/referee by the event organiser/meeting manager of that meeting.
- Rationale - Feedback articulated there were, from time to time, difficulties experienced in arranging level 3 chiefs reports within the home countries including availability of a higher-level official. To accommodate such scenarios and as a last resort, where a higher-level official from within the discipline is not available to write the level 3 chiefs report, then evidence of acting as a chief/referee must be included within the record of experience and supported with confirmation by the event organiser/meeting manager of you fulfilling the role as chief/referee at a suitable level meeting. However, in the first instance, every effort must be made to arrange and carry out a level 3 chiefs report.
Additional Information
Track/Field Disciplines
Level 3 questions – These can be located in the following locations – (1) Useful Resources section of EA Website (2) Athletics Hub (Online Courses > MyLearning) – for any individual who has completed a level 1 course April 2023 onwards or (3) Myathletics portal > Useful Documents > Officials
Endurance
Level 2
- Minimum of 10 practical experiences since level 1 (from previous 6 practical experiences).
Rationale – To ensure the number of experiences required for both level 2 track/field and endurance disciplines are consistent
- Evidence of shadowing referee at league / county / district meeting within record of experience.
Rationale – To ensure requires for both level 2 track/field and endurance disciplines are consistent and assist aspiring level 2 endurance officials are familiar with the role of race referee in an event situation and have access to on-the-day support/mentoring by an experienced endurance official.
Level 3 – no changes
Should you have any questions regarding the officials’ pathways for 2025/26, please do not hesitate to contact mritchie@englandathletics.org.
Best wishes
Marc Ritchie on behalf of the four home countries