World Athletics Launches Dedicated Running Department
The new division will oversee global mass participation and professional road running events.
Updated on Oct. 30, 2026 in Running
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World Athletics has established a standalone Running & Mass Participation department to manage international road, trail, and cross-country events. The new division aims to support a global community of at least 1 billion runners through expanded regulation and technical services.
Why it matters
The creation of this department recognizes running as one of the fastest-growing areas in sports. By centralizing management, World Athletics intends to streamline oversight for over 320 events that currently hold their official road race label.
The department currently oversees 320 events worldwide that hold an official road race label. These events cater to a global demographic estimated at 1 billion individuals who identify as runners.
The players
Jakob Larsen
He previously served as the competitions and events director at World Athletics and spent 19 years at the Danish Athletic Federation.
Alessio Punzi
He is a long-term executive at World Athletics who has served the organization for over a decade.
World Athletics
Headquartered in Monaco, this international governing body manages athletics, including track and field and road running, across the globe.
The details
Jakob Larsen and Alessio Punzi co-head the new division, which manages partnerships across technology and data in addition to educational services. The department is tasked with streamlining regulation for mountain, marathon, and cross-country events as participation continues to surge.
Timeline
Jakob Larsen joined World Athletics in 2020.
World Athletics launched the new department during the week of October 26, 2026.
The TCS New York City Marathon occurs on November 1, 2026.
Season Trajectory
This move formalizes the governance of mass participation, potentially standardizing the requirements for events like the TCS New York City Marathon. It signals a shift in the competitive balance of World Athletics, moving resources toward high-growth mass participation sectors.
Professional and recreational runners can expect more consistent technical standards and data tracking across the 320 labeled road races. This structural change may facilitate smoother event registration and result verification for future marathon participants.
The takeaway
The establishment of a dedicated department reflects the massive expansion of the running community on a global scale. Runners should look for increased standardization and technological integration in the events they choose to participate in moving forward.
Further reading
Learn more about the evolving landscape of international events at Running.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Sportcal.
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