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Officiating

Olivia Holbrook holding a white flag at an event

Proposals for changes to the UKA Rules for Competition

Athletics has a set of Rules for Competition and a series of official notification periods for proposed changes to them. The invitation to make proposals for changes to the UKA rules for the UKA Rule Book for 2026/28 went out at the beginning of April 2025 and we remind you that the process is open until 25 June 2025. Guidance on the process and the form for submission of proposals are contained in the Rules of Competition page on the UKA website.
John Armour

Getting started on the officiating pathway: John Armour's journey

John Armour's journey as a Starter began because his son was competing. John is now a Level 2 official, and looking to his officiating future, he says he would love to keep on going and the ultimate goal is to be an official on the start of line of an international race.
Moira Gallagher and Stan Burton at London 2012

Top tips to progress as a technical official

Moira Gallagher is the Tri Regional Officials’ Group Upgrading Secretary for the North. She's a very experienced technical official, having initially qualified as a timekeeper and track official in the early 1970s, and was Meeting Manager at the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. In her role as the TROG upgrading secretary for the North, Moira details below some advice to officials thinking about or are in the process of progressing to Level 3 or 4.
Paj Valley technical official

School athletics led me to becoming an official as a parent

Paj Valley has always had a love for athletics, which was the first sport that he really competed at during school. Paj moved to other sports but was pulled back to it because of his son who had equally found a love for it and is still competing. It was a natural progression to spread his knowledge by becoming an official.
Officials in a briefing meeting

Celebrating the officials supporting our outdoor championships

As we look forward to an exciting summer of outdoor championships in 2025, we wanted to share our gratitude and appreciation to the dedicated officials who will be instrumental in making these events a success. We are delighted to share the list of officials who will be helping our athletes at our upcoming outdoor season.
Regional Volunteer Awards 2025 graphic

Our 2025 Regional Volunteer Awards nominations are now open

The Regional Volunteer Awards are organised in partnership with Regional Councils and provide an opportunity to celebrate the fantastic contribution volunteers make to our sport up and down the country and to highlight the invaluable work carried out by volunteers who are often under-appreciated and don’t get the recognition they deserve. Thanking volunteers can be so powerful so we encourage you to submit a nomination to highlight those who have positively impacted you, friends, family, the local community, students, colleagues, club members, etc. Nominations are now open, and close on 9 June!
3 officials with clipboards

Playing a part in greatness. Officials - the unsung heroes of athletics 

When you see the golden moments at championships, whether they be world records at the Olympic Games or a personal best at an England Championships, it is the officials who make those opportunities possible - working hard in the background to make sure things work like clockwork. From looking at the picture of a race in photofinish to measuring a triple jump, there are so many different officiating roles out there at grassroots and national level for officials to get involved with.  
Freya Webb at UKA indoor champs

Young official Freya Webb talks about her officiating journey

Freya Webb is a club athlete turned official, having qualified in a number of disciplines is now a Level 3 field judge. In February this year Freya officiated at the UKA National Indoor Championships in Birmingham for her first national selection event. As is common for a first appointment, Freya was an athlete steward.  
Chris Jones presenting medals at ECCA cross country relays

CEO Blog: March 2025

As the winter draws to a close and the outdoor track and field season gets closer, England Athletics CEO Chris Jones gives his overview of the recent months in our sport.
Ernie Cripps receiving award

99 year old club volunteer presented with long service award

There are just 12 active athletics volunteers recorded on our membership database who are aged over 95. Ernie Cripps is one of them. Ernie doesn’t like a fuss, so England Athletics CEO Chris Jones, Chair of East Midlands Regional Council Jane Pidgeon, and Club Support Manager Heidi Bradley attended under the guise of an ordinary club engagement visit.