2023
COUNCIL
ELECTIONSCAMPAIGN
GUIDELINES

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Contents

Introduction  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 4Part A - Integrity and Ethical Conduct  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 5Part B – Campaign Guidelines  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 7Part C – Financial Disclosure  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 83

Introduction

The Election Oversight Panel (the “EOP”) ispleased to share specific guidelines about the2023 Council Elections.
This document consists of three parts:• Part A deals with the Integrity and EthicalConduct of Candidates and Delegates;• Part B provides campaigning guidelines for the2023 elections; and• Part C describes the reporting requirements
for candidacy expenditures incurred byCandidates.
If you have questions about the 2023 electionsor these campaign guidelines, please contact
elections2023@worldathletics.org at any time.

4Part A - Integrity and Ethical Conduct

Conduct requirements duringcampaigns• Acting with moderation means that Candidates
should conduct their campaign in a way that is
appropriate and proportionate.

Candidates and Persons seeking to become
Candidates are subject to the Integrity Code ofConduct and World Athletics Candidacy Rules.

Not acting with moderation means, forexample, spending above the campaign
budget thresholds set by World Athletics.

The Integrity Code of Conduct also applies toDelegates attending the Congress.

Candidacy Expenditure

By complying with the standards set out in theCode and Rules mentioned above, Candidates
and Delegates will ensure they are operating
within these Rules and the ethical framework
created for the benefit of everyone involved.

• Candidates may spend up to EUR 25,000 on
their campaign for the role of Council Memberor Vice-President. Candidates to the roleof President may spend up to EUR 50,000.
The period covering the limit on campaign
expenditure began on 1 July 2022 thedeclared Commencement Date.

Not complying with the above will result ina referral to the Athletics Integrity Unit andthe Candidate’s campaign will be suspended.
Depending on the nature of the case, Candidates
may be provisionally suspended which will resultin their name being removed from the ballot.

• The EOP will require Candidates to provide
financial disclosures about their campaign
expenditure. The EOP also has the power
to audit campaign expenditure, including
requesting copies of bank account statements.
This is further explained in the “FinancialDisclosure” section of this document.

Acting with honesty, dignity, andmoderation

Existing Officials and abuse ofpower• Acting with honesty means that Candidates
should tell the truth and provide informationthat is accurate and verifiable.

• Existing Officials must not use their role withWorld Athletics to favour their Candidacy
against other Candidates.

Not acting with honesty means, for example,
making statements that are knowingly false,misleading, or not true, about the state ofaffairs of a Member Federation or Area
Association.

Public Statements, Interviews andWritten Materials• Acting with dignity means that Candidates
should be respectful of other Candidates,
their Member Federation, Area Association,Representatives and Voting Delegates, andWorld Athletics.

• Candidates or persons seeking to be
Candidates can promote their Candidacy
if such promotion complies with the above
Principles of honesty, dignity, and moderation.

Not acting with dignity means, for example,
making public or private statements verballyor in writing that can cause harm to theimage of another Candidate.
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Debates, Forums and Meetings

Reports can be made to the Compliance & Risk
Officer, on compliance@worldathletics.org, ordirectly to the Athletics Integrity Unity, on info@
athleticsintegrity.org.

• Candidates can only attend debates, forums
or meetings held for the sole purpose ofpromoting their Candidacy, when authorisedin advance by the EOP. Such debates, forums
or meetings should grant equal rights to each
Candidate to promote themselves. This isfurther explained in the “Campaign Guidance”
section of this document.

Ethical Compliance education
Candidates for World Athletics elections will be
required to complete the eLearning course on
ethical compliance developed by World Athletics.
A Certificate of Completion will be required forthe nomination to be validated.

No promises

Access to the course will be granted to Persons
seeking to become Candidates by contacting
compliance@worldathletics.org.

• Candidates for, or Persons proposing to be
Candidates, cannot make a promise to act(directly or indirectly) for the specific benefit of
any individual or Member Federation if electedto office.

No gifts / benefits• Only the exchange (directly or indirectly) ofgifts of nominal value (this means, no value, forexample a plastic pen, a small bunch of flowers
or a mug) is authorised between persons
proposing to be Candidates and persons votingin the elections.

No collusion• Candidates or Persons proposing to beCandidates should not engage in any
collaboration or collusion with other Persons
proposing to be Candidates with the intent todefraud or manipulate the result of the vote.

Obligation to Report
Everyone subject to World Athletics Integrity
Code of Conduct, including Candidates toelections and Delegates attending the Congress,
is under the obligation to report potential
breaches of the Rules.

6Part B – Campaign Guidelines

Digital Campaigningcircular to submit suggested questions in writingin advance of the forum and the EOP will thendetermine what questions to ask the Candidates.

The EOP supports World Athletics’ commitment
to sustainable business practices. As a result, theEOP wishes to inform all Candidates and Persons
seeking to become Candidates that campaign
material for the 2023 Elections will be strictlyvirtual.

Candidates will have a set time to present
themselves and will then answer questions
asked by the EOP based on the suggestions ofMembers. To ensure fairness and control over thelimited time available for the forum, there will be noquestions taken from the audience attending theforum.

This means that:• There will be no print-outs, flyers, or manifestos
in paper format allowed during the campaign.
• Candidate Profiles will be available in digitalformat.
• Candidates and Persons seeking to become
Candidates are allowed to promote their
Candidacy in person, by use of any electronic
or media channels, if they comply with thePrinciples of honesty, dignity and moderation
set out above.
• World Athletics will set up a dedicated section
on its official website where all Candidate
information will be available.
• The Official Candidate list and Candidate
Profiles will be circulated to the Membership via
circular in advance of the Congress elections.

Live forum for Candidates toVice-President and President
positions
Candidates for the position of Vice-President andPresident will be invited by the EOP to participate
in a forum during the voting information sessionthat will precede the Congress on 16 August2023 to present their Candidacy.
The forum will be moderated by the Chair ofthe EOP. Member Federations will be invited by7

Part C – Financial DisclosureCampaign Period and Expenditure

Regular Disclosure of CampaignExpenditure

As previously indicated by Circular M/28/22
dated 1 June 2022, the Campaign Period started
on 1 July 2022.

Once the EOP approves the nomination of a
Candidate, this Candidate will be under theobligation to report their Campaign Expenditureby using the reporting tool developed by World
Athletics for this purpose. The expense report tool
will be made available by January 2023.

Candidates and Persons seeking to become
Candidates are required to keep track of theirexpenses (including any receipts or equivalent)
related to their Campaign or Candidacy. The EOP
may audit expenditure incurred at any time.

If you incur an expense equal to or above EUR
2,500 (excluding airfares), please record it inthe tool and report it immediately to the EOP.
Failure to do so may affect an assessment of yourhonesty and integrity and result in an investigationby the EOP.

Each Candidate must track and record thefollowing information concerning campaign
expenses: (1) the source and total amount of all
funds used in support of their Candidacy; (2)nature of each expense; and (3) the bank accountstatements and other supporting documents
concerning the expenses.
Each Candidate and Persons seeking tobecome Candidates should record every
campaign expenditure including travel, meals,
and accommodations, campaign promotion,
professional services, etc. related to the promotionof their Candidacy.

Candidate Nomination Forms andExpenditure
When submitting their Nomination Forms, Persons
seeking to become Candidates will be required toprovide the full amount spent on their Candidacy
to date and since 1 July 2022. This amount will beincluded on their Candidate profile.

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