Officials Education for Level 1-3 moves to Athletics Northern Ireland

In practice this means that Athletics Northern Ireland, together with our other Home Country Athletics Federation partners in Wales, Scotland, and England, will have the accountability and responsibility for the following areas specific to these levels (or equivalent) in the qualification pathway (specific to track and off track):

• Course structure, content review and editing to meet the needs of our sport in Northern Ireland (note that responsibility for other HCAFs to make such decisions in their respective territories will be extended to them as well)
• Tutor recruitment and training for courses
• Tutor deployment on course
• Course organisation, scheduling, and delivery at these levels

Ongoing non-qualification-based support to Technical Officials will continue to be led by each HCAF in their respective country in areas such as mentoring, conferencing/webinar organisation.

Licensing of Officials qualifications will continue to be administered by UKA in the short term, but we plan for this responsibility to move across to each HCAF at the right time.

UKA will retain full accountability and responsibility for all higher-level officials; Levels 4 & 5 as well as those operating as International Technical Officials (ITO) or those falling under the equivalent World Athletics, World Para Athletics or European Athletics qualification schemes.

The goal is to create a more effective and flexible delivery of official education which allows the HCAFs increased ownership to support and develop officials at the appropriate stage of their journey within the sport. Athletics Northern Ireland will have the accountability and responsibility for the operational delivery elements including; course and qualification structure and content, tutor training and development, scheduling and delivery at Levels 1 – 3.

UKA and the HCAFs will continue to work closely to ensure that the needs and on-going support to technical officials is prioritised including the delivery of more developmental activity including; conferences, webinars, the ‘Communities of Practice’ series, mentoring and other support services as required.

In addition, the UKA Technical Advisory Group (TAG) and Education Sub Groups will remain in place with an amended remit focussing on the higher level qualifications and supporting higher level officials and those operating internationally.

These changes will not affect the existing structures in place for the selection of Technical Officials for Major events and all Technical Officials will remain under a UK licencing scheme that will be continue to be fully administered by UKA.

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