2022: European Athletics to roll out DNA
29 December 2021

After the launch of Dynamic New Athletics (DNA) at the 2019 European Games in Minsk and two years of challenges related to the Covid-19 pandemic, European Athletics is now ready to roll out its innovative concept with an extensive programme of activities in 2022.

After the launch of Dynamic New Athletics (DNA) at the 2019 European Games in Minsk and two years of challenges related to the Covid-19 pandemic, European Athletics is now ready to roll out its innovative concept with an extensive programme of activities in 2022.

According to European Athletics Vice-President and the leader of the DNA project steering group Libor Varhanik, the coming year will be a chance for the sport and the public to experience additional dimensions of the DNA concept.

“At this point, most people who are aware of DNA know it as an experiment in Minsk for elite athletes,” he says, “but in 2022, heath conditions permitting, we will take the experiment further and demonstrate how DNA can be applied at the grassroots and top club levels.

“Our aims are to create interest and excitement and to expand the conversation about how this new tool can add value for many stakeholders and help to grow our sport.”

Envisaged activities for the year include:

• The second Spanish inter-clubs indoor DNA meeting at Valencia’s Luís Puig Velodrome, where 2021 winners, Playas de Castellón in the senior division and Alcampo Scorpio-71 in the U20 exhibition division, will each take on five of the country’s top clubs. Both competitions will take place on 15 January and be live-streamed on Spain’s LaLiga Sports TV.

• An elite showcase event with strong national teams from England, Wales, Spain, Turkey and Wales taking on the hosts Scotland in Glasgow, on 5 February. Organisers will take advantage of the intimate setting of the Emirates Arena to try out new event presentation elements and a social media promotion campaign, which includes coordination with the participating federations, has been designed to drive ticket sales and streaming viewership.

• Throughout the Spring, the Royal Spanish Athletic Federation (RFEA) will use a €300,000 grant from the European Commission to introduce DNA at the grassroots level by launching a smart-phone app and staging a schools competition programme culminating with a national final in May. The project will be delivered under the name “Jungle Athletics”.

• In September European Athletics and the RFEA will co-host a 12-team European DNA U20 Clubs competition in Castellon as a prototype for future international top club events. Current plans are to live stream the competition and coordinate a promotion strategy that leverages the social media networks of the participating clubs and athletes.

• The season’s activities will culminate with an online conference in September, also co-hosted by European Athletics and the RFEA, aimed at increasing understanding and enthusiasm for all aspects of the DNA concept amongst national federation personnel and the Athletics Community throughout Europe.

After establishing a baseline of awareness and understanding of the concept through a mid-2021 survey of European Athletics Member Federations, the DNA project team is planning additional research measures in 2022 to assess the impact of the planned DNA-related activities and the other communications measures that will be implemented during the year.

Following the season, DNA and the 2022 roll-out programme will feature as a topic of discussion for Member Federation leaders in October’s European Athletics Convention.