SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – IAAF President Sebastian Coe will attend the annual meeting of the North, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Confederation (NACAC) Council this weekend at Caribe Hilton hotel in San Juan.
Responding to an invitation by NACAC President Victor Lopez, Coe and the area’s officials will discuss key issues to the sport in the region, including proposed amendments to the NACAC Constitution following the IAAF Constitution changes last December.
“We are honored and privileged to know that the IAAF President, also an ex-officio member of the NACAC Council, has accepted our invitation. President Coe has shown a great leadership since being elected, during major challenges, especially doping in Russia and corruption affection our sport,” sad Lopez.
“Under his leadership, the IAAF has undergone a thorough restructuring and a new constitution was approved almost unanimously last December aiming at avoid bad governance within the IAAF and member federations. We approved a 21st century constitution that should serve as an example to international sports federations and National Olympic Committees,” he added.
During the two-day meeting (Friday and Saturday), the NACAC Council will examine the results of their 2014-207 strategic plan and the area calendar featuring 18 meets in seven countries in the lead-up to the IAAF World Championships in London in August.
The British sports leader, two-time 800m Olympic champion in 1980 and 1984 and former world record holder in that distance, will be honored by San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz alongside Puerto Rican sports personalities and other Olympic athletes based here.
The list includes Colombia’s Olympic triple jump champion Caterine Ibarguen, Dominican Republic’s Luguelin Santos, 400m silver medallist, and local Javier Culson, bronze in 400m hurdles, at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
On Sunday, he will run the San Juan World’s Best 10K -which also serves as NACAC 10km Cup. The event is one of two races in Latin American to enjoy golden status in the IAAF Label Road Race circuit. In its 20th anniversary, the race will start and finish in Old San Juan.
The NACAC region confirmed its leading position at the Olympic Games with 55 medals, including 21 gold, won by athletes from eight countries. The USA and Jamaica led the charge with 13 and six gold medals, respectively.
The NACAC Council is made up of 10 officials from nine countries, including five IAAF Council Members: Area Representative Lopez, Vice-president Alberto Juantorena (Cuba), Stephanie Hightower (USA), Pauline Davis-Thompson (Bahamas) and Abby Hoffmann (Canada).
