About

The Israel Athletics Association is a registered association. In the beginning, the organization was named the "Athletics Committee" of the Israel Sports Association and since 1980 the "Israel Athletic Association" ("IAA"), under the auspices of the Israel Sports Association. With the dismantling of the Israel Sports Association, at the end of 1995, the IAA became an independent body and was incorporated as an association. Since then, the organization has been considered an independent body in every way.

The Israel Athletics Association is the body recognized by the State of Israel for the purpose of conducting and managing the country`s athletics activities, and is the sole Israeli body representing the State towards the international bodies such as the European Athletics Association (EAA), the Association of Marathons and International Road Runners (AIMS), National Athletics associations and other public bodies around the world.

The IAA plans its activities for short, medium and long terms, while being attentive to the environmental changes in which it operates and adapts itself to the changes taking place. The Israeli reality is characterized by many changes, social, professional and budgetary, and therefore the Association is flexible in its plans and can offer immediate changes as a result of environmental influences.

The IAA maintains continuous relations with public institutions in Israel: The Ministry of Culture and Sport, the Sports Authority, the Israel Olympic Committee, the Sports High Performance Unit, local authorities, the Sports Association for Schools, the Young Athletes` Training Unit, and the Wingate Institute.

Israel is a country built on immigration of our Jewish brethren from around the world. One of the most important areas for the IAA is the absorption of immigrant athletes, mostly immigrants from the former Soviet Union and Ethiopia.
The number of immigrant athletes who arrived in Israel are numbered in the several hundred. It can be said that most of them have successfully passed the absorption process and have become full pledged Israelis and realized their potential in sports.
Over 20 athletes from these hundreds of athletes who have been absorbed in Israel have been international athletes and have certainly strengthened the national team from the 90`s in major events such as the European Championships, European Cup, the World Championships and the Olympics.
One cannot emphasize more the appreciation of the work by the immigrant coaches who came to Israel. They were the ones who invested their knowledge and skill in the current generation of athletes. These coaches are widely accepted and per their custom, aim at achieving high goals.
The IAA works to develop international relations and maintains ongoing contact with IAAF, EAA, AIMS, and with various associations around the world. The goal of the relations with the international bodies is to draw as much information as possible on world athletics and what is happening in the various countries. Recently, the IAAF has established an international department dedicated to maintaining and nurturing these connections.

The IAA submits an annual report to IAAF and has a personal connection with the world`s leading activists.

The IAA has hosted international competitions (European Cup of Nations in 1999, European Championship for Nations, Level B in June 2017, European Cup in March 2006, Youth Competitions, etc.), which were highly successful, while the IAA received many compliments from the National Athletic Associations in Europe as well as the European Athletics Association.

In association with the athletic associations of the various countries, the IAA has been successful in recruiting athletes and coaches to participate in international competitions as well as training and training camps. The IAA maintains international cooperation on the following issues:

1. Participation of Israeli athletes in world and European championships
2. Participation of athletes in international invitational competitions
3. Conducting international competitions in Israel
4. Inviting athletes from abroad to major competitions in Israel, including the Israel Open Championship
5. inviting coaches from abroad for training in Israel
6. Participate in planning the European and world annual calendar competitions
7. Participation in international congresses
8. Invite high-class athletes to training camps in Israel
9. Cooperation with athletic associations across Europe

The IAA attaches great importance to the exchange of professional and administrative materials between countries and as a result maintains continuous contact with associations from various countries. In order to implement a professional and administrative program, the IAA also tends to hear international opinions from top ranking coaches around the world.

Vision

Athletics in Israel will be the basis for achieving the ultimate goals of all sports in Israel in order to achieve success (or be recognized) on the national and international front and its commitment to:

1. Providing a positive experience through sports, which develops physical awareness and appreciation for athletics.
2. Systematic action to achieve high level, permanent and continuous international success in all international competitions, including winning medals.
3. Providing opportunities for athletes to stay active and competitive through all stages of life.

Goals

Main Goals:

1. Increasing the achievements of Israeli athletics at the international level.
2. Increasing the number of athletes by age category, based on training centers and athletics clubs.
3. Increasing the number of children and youth engaged in competitive athletics.

Secondary Goals:

1. Strengthening athletics clubs in professional, managerial and budgetary aspects
2. Establishing training centers.
3. Improving the quality of training
4. Stimulate coaches for achievement.
5. Increasing the number of athletics facilities

The IAA will continue to build and prepare athletes, coaches and the entire athletic program in order to fulfill the Visions and the Goals mentioned above and hope that all of you will lend a hand in achieving those goals.