IAAF Golden League

The IAAF Golden League was an annual series of outdoor track and field meetings organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). Athletes who won specific events at all of the series meetings were awarded a jackpot prize, sometimes given in gold bars, which inspired the series name.[1] The competition began with seven meetings and it lasted for twelve years as the IAAF's top tier of one-day meetings. Within the IAAF's global circuit, athletes received additional points for their performances at the Golden League for the IAAF Grand Prix (1998–2002),[2] IAAF World Outdoor Meetings (2003–2005),[3] then IAAF World Athletics Tour (2006–2009).[4] The Golden League was replaced in 2010 by the Diamond League, which marked an expansion to fourteen seasonal meetings covering all track and field events except the hammer throw.[5]

IAAF Golden League
SportOutdoor track and field
Founded1998
Ceased2009
ContinentEurope

The origins of the Golden League trace back to the Golden Four series that ran from 1993 to 1997, comprising four top level European meetings on the IAAF Grand Prix circuit (Berlin, Brussels, Oslo, and Zürich).[6] The first Golden League was held as the new top tier of the 1998 IAAF Grand Prix and consisted of the former Golden Four meetings, plus Rome, Monaco, and the 1998 IAAF Grand Prix Final in Moscow.[7] From the 1999 IAAF Golden League onwards, the Meeting Gaz de France in Paris was added and the Grand Prix Final dropped.[8] That year all meetings were scheduled for Wednesday evenings in order to improve the sport's television coverage.[9] When the IAAF Grand Prix was succeeded by the IAAF World Outdoor Meetings series in 2003, the Monaco meeting was removed from the Golden League series and made host of the IAAF World Athletics Final instead.[10][11] The Golden League meetings remained unchanged from 2003 to 2009.[3][4]

The series had three title sponsors in its history, starting with Ericsson in 1998,[7] TDK in 2004 and 2005,[12] then ÅF in 2008 and 2009.[13]

Editions
Edition Year Start date End date Meets Jackpot
events		 Oslo Rome Paris Monaco Zürich Brussels Berlin GP Final Series Ref.
11998 ()9 July1 September71212N/A345671998 IAAF Grand Prix[14][2]
21999 ()30 June7 September7121234567N/A1999 IAAF Grand Prix[15][16]
32000 ()23 June1 September7123215467N/A2000 IAAF Grand Prix[17][18]
42001 ()29 June31 August7143124567N/A2001 IAAF Grand Prix[19][20]
52002 ()28 June6 September7121324567N/A2002 IAAF Grand Prix[21][22]
62003 ()27 June5 September612132N/A456N/A2003 IAAF World Outdoor Meetings[23][3]
72004 ()11 June12 September612123N/A456N/A2004 IAAF World Outdoor Meetings[24][25]
82005 ()1 July4 September611321N/A456N/A2005 IAAF World Outdoor Meetings[26][27]
92006 ()2 June3 September611132N/A456N/A2006 IAAF World Athletics Tour[28][29]
102007 ()15 June16 September610132N/A456N/A2007 IAAF World Athletics Tour[30][31]
112008 ()1 June5 September610234N/A561N/A2008 IAAF World Athletics Tour[32][33]
122009 ()14 June4 September610234N/A561N/A2009 IAAF World Athletics Tour[34][4]

Meetings
The locations of the meetings from 2005 onwards
Hurdles at the Bislett Games, one of the Golden League meets
The Olympiastadion in Berlin, which hosted the ISTAF Berlin
#MeetingArenaCityCountry 199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009
12 Bislett Games Bislett Stadium Oslo Norway ••••••••••••
12 Weltklasse Zürich Letzigrund Zürich Switzerland ••••••••••••
12 Memorial Van Damme King Baudouin Stadium Brussels Belgium ••••••••••••
12 ISTAF Berlin Olympiastadion Berlin Germany ••••••••••••
12 Golden Gala Stadio Olimpico Rome Italy ••••••••••••
11 Meeting Areva Stade de France Paris France •••••••••••
5 Herculis Stade Louis II Fontvieille Monaco •••••
1 IAAF Grand Prix Final Luzhniki Stadium Moscow Russia •

Jackpot

Rules

The jackpot and its eligibility rules changed through the competition's history. Each year, a number of men's and women's events were made eligible for the Golden League jackpot if an athlete won their event at all Golden League meetings. This ranged from five to eight men's events and five to six women's events for each year. In the first two years, jackpot winners shared in a US$1 million prize. In 2000 and 2001, this was changed to 50 kg of gold bars and athletes only had to win at 5 out of 7 meetings to qualify for the jackpot. In 2003, the prize structure reverted to US$1 million for athletes winning at all the meets only, and a new stipulation was that athletes also had to compete at the IAAF World Athletics Final.[12]

From 2006 onwards, the jackpot events were set to five men's events and five women's events, ensuring gender equality.[36] The award structure was also changed in 2006 so that athletes who won any five of the six events shared in a purse of US$250,000, while the remaining US$750,000 would be divided among athletes who won all six meetings. This was to a response to the fact that only four athletes shared in the jackpot in the three previous seasons.[37][38] From 2007 onwards, the jackpot was again only shared amongst athletes who won at all six meetings.[39]

Events
  Jackpot event with no winner
  Jackpot event with winner
Men
Event 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Total Winners
100 m Greene Powell102
200 m2-
400 m Wariner42
800 m Kipketer Bucher52
1500 m/Mile El Guerrouj El Guerrouj El Guerrouj El Guerrouj94
3000 m/5000 m Bekele[40] Bekele62
5000 m/10,000 m Gebrselassie11
110 m hurdles Johnson61
400 m hurdles Sánchez51
3000 m s'chase2-
High jump2-
Pole vault5-
Long jump Saladino[40]41
Triple jump Olsson41
Shot put1-
Discus throw1-
Javelin throw8-
Total77786666656575
Winners21232-1-4--116
Women
Event 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Total Winners
100 m Jones Jones Jones103
200 m2-
400 m Guevara Williams Richards Richards Richards65
800 m Mutola Jelimo52
1500 m/Mile Szekely61
3000 m/5000 m Szabó Yegorova Dibaba[40]63
5000 m/10,000 m--
100 m hurdles8-
400 m hurdles4-
3000 m s'chase--
High jump8-
Pole vault Isinbayeva Isinbayeva22
Long jump Kotova11
Triple jump Lebedeva21
Shot put--
Discus throw--
Javelin throw Hattestad31
Total55566665554563
Winners11232111221219

Winners
Year Winners Nations Event(s) Prize
1998 () Hicham El Guerrouj (1) Morocco 1500 metres/mile $333,333
Haile Gebrselassie Ethiopia 5000 metres/10,000 metres
Marion Jones United States 100 metres
1999 () Wilson Kipketer Denmark 800 metres $500,000
Gabriela Szabo Romania 3000 metres/5000 metres
2000 () Hicham El Guerrouj (2) Morocco 1500 metres/mile 12.5 kg gold bar
Maurice Greene United States 100 metres
Trine Hattestad Norway Javelin throw
Tatyana Kotova Russia Long jump
2001 () André Bucher  Switzerland 800 metres 8.33 kg Gold Bar
Hicham El Guerrouj (3) Morocco 1500 metres/mile/2000 metres
Allen Johnson United States 110 metres hurdles
Marion Jones (2) United States 100 metres
Violeta Szekely Romania 1500 metres
Olga Yegorova Russia 3000 metres/5000 metres
2002 () Hicham El Guerrouj (4) Morocco 1500 metres 12.5 kg Gold Bar
Ana Guevara Mexico 400 metres
Marion Jones (3) United States 100 metres
Félix Sánchez Dominican Republic 400 metres hurdles
2003 () Maria Mutola Mozambique 800 metres $1,000,000
2004 () Christian Olsson Sweden Triple jump $500,000
Tonique Williams-Darling Bahamas 400 metres
2005 () Tatyana Lebedeva Russia Triple jump $1,000,000
2006 () Asafa Powell Jamaica 100 metres $249,999*
Jeremy Wariner United States 400 metres
Sanya Richards United States 400 metres
Kenenisa Bekele Ethiopia 5000 metres $83,333*
Tirunesh Dibaba Ethiopia 5000 metres
Irving Saladino Panama Long jump
2007 () Yelena Isinbayeva Russia Pole vault $500,000
Sanya Richards (2) United States 400 metres
2008 ( Pamela Jelimo Kenya 800 metres $1,000,000
2009 () Sanya Richards (3) United States 400 metres $333,333
Yelena Isinbayeva (2) Russia Pole vault
Kenenisa Bekele (2) Ethiopia 3000 metres/5000 metres
  • The 2006 series had a split prize pot, with US$250,000 shared between the athletes who won at five meetings, and US$750,000 being shared among athletes who won at all six meetings.[37]

Events by year
Year Men Women Total Ref.
1998 200 metres 200 metres 13 [41]
800 metres 800 metres
5000 metres 3000 metres
110 metres hurdles 400 metres hurdles
3000 metres steeplechase N/A
long jump high jump
pole vault N/A
javelin throw N/A
1999 200 metres 200 metres 13 [41][42]
800 metres 800 metres
5000 metres 3000 metres
110 metres hurdles 400 metres hurdles
3000 metres steeplechase high jump
long jump N/A
pole vault N/A
javelin throw N/A
2000 100 metres 100 metres 12 [43]
1500 metres 1500 metres
3000 metres N/A
400 metres hurdles 100 metres hurdles
high jump long jump
pole vault N/A
shot put javelin throw
2001 100 metres 100 metres 14 [44]
800 metres 800 metres
1500 metres 1500 metres
3000 metres 3000 metres
3000 metres steeplechase N/A
110 metres hurdles 400 metres hurdles
long jump high jump
javelin throw N/A
2002 100 metres 100 metres 12 [45]
N/A 400 metres
1500 metres 1500 metres
3000 metres/5000 metres 3000 metres/5000 metres
400 metres hurdles 100 metres hurdles
pole vault N/A
triple jump javelin throw
2003 100 metres 100 metres 12
800 metres 800 metres
3000 metres/5000 metres 1500 metres
110 metres hurdles 400 metres hurdles
pole vault triple jump
N/A high jump
javelin throw N/A
2004 200 metres 100 metres 12
800 metres 400 metres
1500 metres 1500 metres
N/A 3000 metres/5000 metres
400 metres hurdles 100 metres hurdles
triple jump high jump
discus throw N/A
2005 100 metres 100 metres 11
800 metres 800 metres
1500 metres/1 mile 3000 metres/5000 metres
110 metres hurdles 400 metres hurdles
high jump triple jump
javelin throw N/A
2006 100 metres 100 metres 10
400 metres 400 metres
5000 metres 5000 metres
N/A 100 metres hurdles
long jump high jump
javelin throw N/A
2007 100 metres 100 metres 10
1500 metres / Mile 400 metres
110 metres hurdles 100 metres hurdles
triple jump high jump
N/A pole vault
javelin throw N/A
2008 100 metres 200 metres 11
400 metres N/A
1500 metres 800 metres
400 metres hurdles 100 metres hurdles
long jump high jump
javelin throw N/A
2009 100 metres 100 metres 10
400 metres 400 metres
3000 metres/5000 metres N/A
110 metres hurdles 100 metres hurdles
N/A high jump
N/A pole vault
javelin throw N/A

References
  1. PLUS: TRACK AND FIELD; Golden League Format Unchanged. New York Times (2000-12-18). Retrieved 2019-10-01.
  2. 1998 Grand Prix Standings. IAAF. Retrieved 2019-09-01.
  3. Grand Prix Schedule 2003. IAAF. Retrieved 2019-09-01.
  4. World Athletics Tour Results 2009. IAAF. Retrieved 2019-09-01.
  5. "IAAF to launch global Diamond League of 1 Day Meetings". IAAF. 2009-03-02. Retrieved 2009-03-02.
  6. Rowbottom, Mike (1997-11-22). Athletics: Golden Four extended with more money and meetings. The Independent. Retrieved 2019-10-01.
  7. IAAF Ericsson $1 million dollar jackpot for Golden League. IAAF (1998-07-08). Retrieved 2019-10-01.
  8. Paris joins Golden Few. IAAF (1999-03-04). Retrieved 2019-10-01.
  9. 42 outdoor Meetings in 1999 IAAF Calendar - All Golden League Meets on a Wednesday. IAAF (1998-10-28). Retrieved 2019-10-01.
  10. World Athletics Final – a new concept based on a tradition of quality. IAAF (2003-07-18). Retrieved 2019-10-01.
  11. 6 Golden League Meetings from 2003-2005. IAAF (2002-09-13). Retrieved 2019-10-01.
  12. The TDK Golden League – Past and Present. IAAF (2004-03-29). Retrieved 2019-10-01.
  13. Twelve years of the IAAF Golden League. IAAF (2009-09-09). Retrieved 2019-10-01.
  14. Giorgio Lo Giudice (3 May 1998). "la May madrina a Rio". La Gazzetta dello Sport, gazzetta.it. Retrieved 3 September 2009.
  15. "Prossima tappa a Roma, l'ultimo atto a Berlino il 7 September". La Gazzetta dello Sport, gazzetta.it. 30 June 1999. Retrieved 3 September 2009.
  16. 1999 Grand Prix Standings. IAAF. Retrieved 2019-09-01.
  17. "Melbourne lancia il Grand Prix". La Gazzetta dello Sport, gazzetta.it. 2 March 2000. Retrieved 3 September 2009.
  18. 2000 Grand Prix Standings. IAAF. Retrieved 2019-09-01.
  19. "IAAF GOLDEN LEAGUE 2001". iaaf.org. 2001. Archived from the original on 2 August 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2009.
  20. 2001 Grand Prix Standings. IAAF. Retrieved 2019-09-01.
  21. "IAAF GOLDEN LEAGUE 2002". iaaf.org. 2002. Archived from the original on 1 August 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2009.
  22. Grand Prix Schedule 2002. IAAF. Retrieved 2019-09-01.
  23. "The IAAF Golden League – Past and Present". iaaf.org. 8 May 2003. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  24. "Golden League 2004 Results". iaaf.org. 2004. Archived from the original on 4 September 2009. Retrieved 3 September 2009.
  25. Grand Prix Schedule 2004. IAAF. Retrieved 2019-09-01.
  26. "Compact calendar, bigger audiences - TDK Golden League 2005". iaaf.org. 5 January 2006. Retrieved 4 September 2009.
  27. Grand Prix Schedule 2005. IAAF. Retrieved 2019-09-01.
  28. "Men's distance event added to 2006 IAAF Golden League". iaaf.org. 3 February 2006. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  29. World Athletics Tour 2006. IAAF. Retrieved 2019-09-01.
  30. "One week until the $1 Million chase begins - IAAF Golden League 2007". iaaf.org. 8 June 2007. Retrieved 3 September 2009.
  31. World Athletics Tour 2007. IAAF. Retrieved 2019-09-01.
  32. "Golden League Jackpot events confirmed for 2008". iaaf.org. 13 December 2007. Retrieved 3 September 2009.
  33. World Athletics Tour Results 2008. IAAF. Retrieved 2019-09-01.
  34. "ÅF Golden League Jackpot events confirmed for 2009". iaaf.org. 18 December 2008. Retrieved 3 September 2009.
  35. Great fields in Bergen will help 2004 TDK Golden League start in style. IAAF (2004-06-04). Retrieved 2019-10-01.
  36. Ten IAAF Golden League Events in 2006. IAAF (2005-11-28). Retrieved 2019-10-01.
  37. Ramsak, Bob (2006-09-03). The Jackpot Story - IAAF Golden League. IAAF. Retrieved 2019-10-01.
  38. Selected quotes – IAAF Golden League launch press conference, Oslo, Norway. IAAF (2006-06-01). Retrieved 2019-10-01.
  39. ‘6 out of 6’ required for $1 Million IAAF Golden League Jackpot in 2007. IAAF (2006-12-06). Retrieved 2019-10-01.
  40. Won five of six events
  41. Golden League Intro Archived 2012-08-18 at the Wayback Machine. IAAF. Retrieved on 2013-11-17.
  42. 1999 Bislett Games Archived 2012-08-17 at the Wayback Machine. IAAF. Retrieved on 2013-11-17.
  43. ISTAF 2000 Archived 2012-08-17 at the Wayback Machine. IAAF. Retrieved on 2013-04-20.
  44. Golden League 2001 Archived 2012-08-17 at the Wayback Machine. IAAF. Retrieved on 2013-04-20.
  45. Golden League 2002 Archived 2012-08-16 at the Wayback Machine. IAAF. Retrieved on 2013-04-20.
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