World Athletics Day 2021: Theme, history and significance of this special day

The International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) started the World Athletics Day in order to boost participation in athletics among youngsters, create awareness about the importance of fitnesss. World Athletics Day falls under IAAF’s social responsibility project ‘Athletics for a Better World’. The World Athletics Day is observed to make people aware on the importace of physical fitness. Read on to know World Athletics Day 2021 theme, history and significance. 

World Athletics Day 2021 Theme and Date

While there is no set theme for World Athletics Day in 2021, people can still celebrate World Athletics Day in other ways. With COVID-19 cases rapidly rising in India, people are stuck in their homes. This year as per the IAAF, World Athletics Day falls on May 5. In this situation, people can celebrate World Athletics Day by pledging to start exercising regularly, even if they have to exercise inside their homes. Moreover, regular exercise will help improve health. 

World Athletics Day History 

World Athletics Day was originally celebrated in 1996 for the first time. The president of the IAAF at the time, Primo Nebiolo is the one who introduced the event. The IAAF was founded in 1912 in Sweden as the international governing body for the field of sports and athletics. The World Athletics Day is an event sponsored and organised by the IAAF. All around this day is celebrated in schools and colleges. Many athletic and sports competitions take place on this day in institutions celebrating World Athletics Day. 

World Athletics Day Significance 

In the beginning, the initial aim of World Athletics Day was only to promote the participation of children who were members of clubs associated with IAAF federations. Over time, the aim of the project expanded to include the participation of school children in team competitions across the world. This is because schools are the ideal places to promote the benefits of physical activity in general and of athletics in specific. The main scope of World Athletic Day is listed below.

• Increase public awareness about sports and educate youngsters about the importance of sports.
• Promote Athletics as the primary sport in schools and institutions.
• Popularize sports among the youth.
• Establish a link between the youth, sport, and environmental conservation.
• To gradually establish athletics as the number one participation sport in schools all over the world.

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