World Athletics Names Three Fair Play Finalists
Fan voting for the 2026 International Fair Play Award closes 16 November, with the winner announced before the World Athletics Awards on 29 November.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Running
World Athletics has announced three finalists for the 2026 International Fair Play Award, which honours moments that epitomise sportsmanship. Fans can vote through World Athletics social media channels until 16 November, and their votes will be combined with jury votes to decide the winner.
Why it matters
The award recognises acts of sportsmanship across athletics, from competitors sharing resources to athletes stopping to help others during races. It highlights the values of fair play that the International Fair Play Committee has promoted since its founding.
Three finalists were shortlisted from fan nominations and jury review, with 13 awards presented since World Athletics and the CIFP first collaborated in 2003. The final weighting between fan and jury votes has not been detailed.
The players
World Athletics
The international governing body for athletics, which runs the World Athletics Awards and partners with the CIFP on the Fair Play Award.
International Fair Play Committee (CIFP)
An IOC-recognised organisation founded in 1963 by UNESCO and leading sports federations to promote fair play in sport.
The details
The International Fair Play Committee, working with World Athletics, invited fans to nominate moments of fair play before a jury reviewed the entries. The finalists include Irine Cheptai, who offered water to Paralympic athlete Michael Roeger during the Sydney Marathon, and Mondo Duplantis and Emmanouil Karalis, nominated for their mutual respect at the Zurich Diamond League.
Timeline
2003: CIFP first collaborates with World Athletics at the Paris Championships.
16 November: Fan voting closes.
29 November: Winner announced ahead of the World Athletics Awards.
Season Trajectory
The Fair Play Award sits within a long-running effort by the CIFP and World Athletics, dating back to their first collaboration in 2003, to recognise sportsmanship alongside performance. The UN's designation of 19 May as World Fair Play Day reflects the same international commitment to these values.
Fans can cast votes through World Athletics social media channels until 16 November to influence the outcome. Voting is open to anyone following the channels, and the winner will be known before the 29 November awards ceremony.
The takeaway
Sportsmanship moments such as shared water and mutual help during competition are recognised as part of athletics' core values. Following the award's announcement can offer a useful way to see how fair play is defined and rewarded in the sport.
What happens next
Fan voting closes on 16 November 2026, and the winner will be announced ahead of the World Athletics Awards on Sunday 29 November 2026.
Further reading
For more on athletes competing in distance events, see our Running coverage.
