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State sporting organisation Athletics West is moving forward with plans to end its affiliation with Little Athletics Australia, moving to hold a Special General Meeting for members to vote on its proposal to be solely affiliated with Athletics Australia.

Since the merger of Little Athletics WA and Athletics WA in July 2020, Athletics West has been affiliated with both national bodies, Little Athletics Australia and Athletics Australia, during which time it has monitored the dual affiliation arrangement.

However, it notes that it “has assessed that this is not a sustainable or viable model for the sport to move forward”.

In a recent communication to members it advised “following the unsuccessful motion to merge the national bodies in 2021, Athletics West has explored various opportunities to streamline and reduce the complication and duplication of dual national affiliation. However, the ongoing affiliation with two separate national bodies comes at a cost, in time, financial, human resource utilisation and lack of competition and marketing alignment.”

While Athletics West have endeavoured to develop an alternative affiliation model with Little Athletics Australia, it explains “no viable alternative has been identified”.

As a result, its Board’s preferred option is that moving forward Athletics West consider an affiliation solely with Athletics Australia and non-affiliation with Little Athletics Australia for the 2024/25 season and beyond.

Athletics West Chair, Tim Lyons stated “continued affiliation with two national bodies is not a sustainable or effective use of resources, which is why the Board is now considering, with membership input, non-affiliation with Little Athletics Australia an option.”

With a business case for change having been developed and presented to Western Australia’s Little Athletics Centres, Senior Clubs and One Clubs, Lyon added “our vision for Athletics West to be a ‘one sport bringing a great athletics experience to all’ remains the same, and we believe will be strengthened through this motion. We strongly urge our community to review the business case and provide feedback to their centre or club as we move through this process.”

This includes an expectation from Athletics West that it will save $75,000 annually as well as having increased opportunities for sponsorship, with no effect on local grassroots competition delivery by centres. In addition, the complexity and frustration of working with two governing bodies, will be eliminated.

Athletics West emphasises that any change will see no noticeable difference or impact on the way centres or clubs operate in the 2024/25 season.

These developments in the governance of athletics follow unrest since the failure of the 2021 national merger between Little Athletics Australia and Athletics Australia. Both national bodies had employed a joint chief executive and developed a business case endorsed by their Boards, advocating to their state associations to vote to create a single national body. Subsequently, Athletics Australia’s state associations provided the required approval, while Little Athletics Australia’s state associations did not.

Since then, under new leadership, Little Athletics Australia has strategically shifted away from a unified future for the sport to instead pursue an enhanced position for its national body.

Little Athletics Australia opposition
Unsurprisingly, Little Athletics Australia is opposing Athletics West’s move to end its affiliation and has launched a social media campaign which links with a website that include 21 points

The Special General Meeting for members to vote on the national affiliation model will be held on 7th August 2024.

Click here to view the business case for change as presented to WA’s Little Athletics Centres, Senior Clubs and One Clubs. 

Contact Athletics West at admin@athleticswest.com.au or 08 6272 0480.

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