Organising an event

Click here if you are ready to apply

If you wish to organise an athletics event, be it a track and field meeting, road race, cross-country event, hill race or highland games, you will require a licence. Power of 10 and Runbritain Rankings will only include performances from licensed events.

Applications are now being accepted for any event up to 31st March 2019. Applications for events planned for the Summer 2019 season will be welcomed in due course. Any submitted before the Summer 2019 launch date will be rejected.

Click here to begin your application

PLEASE NOTE: The licence application process for events planned for Winter 2018/19 launched on May 8th 2018. Any applications submitted before this date have not been carried over to the new licensing system and applicants should resubmit their form if they still wish to receive a licence for their event.

Health & Safety, Risk Assessment and Insurance

Guidance on athletics event health and safety, as well as further information on the insurance cover for licensed events can be found by following these links:

British Athletics Health and Safety Guidance
Medical info for reverse of numbers
Online accident reporting form
UKA Risk Assessment guidance
Cross Country Risk Assessment Template
Risk Assessment Form – Road Races
Safety at hill races – important reminder
Road Medical Information – RunBritain Guidance
Minimum Medical Services – Small Road Events (up to 500 runners)
Insurance

Rules and Licence Standards

All licensed events must comply with current UKA rules for competition (incorporating IAAF rules), and are expected to meet the standard of delivery laid out for their licence-type.

UKA and IAAF rulebook 2018-2020
Specific Rules: Traditional Scottish Heavy Events at Amateur Highland Games
Licence Standards – Cross Country
Licence Standards – Heavy Events/Highland Games Throws
Licence Standards – Hill Running
Licence Standards – Road and Multi-Terrain
Licence Standards – Track and Field
Licence Standards – Trail and Ultra

Inclusion

To encourage participation, the following guidance is available to assist you in making sure your event is accessible to as many participants as possible.

• Non-binary Gender Category Guidance
• Guidance to Inclusive Practice for Race Organisers
• SDS Wheelchair Race Guidelines 

Course Measurement

Any road race held over an advertised, specific distance must hold a certificate of course measurement, issued by AUKCM, before its results can be used for ranking purposes. Your course measurement certificate should be submitted alongside your event licence application. Any road race that does not hold an official certificate of course accuracy will be recorded as ‘NAD’ (Non-accurate distance).

Association of UK Course Measurers
Course Measurement Procedures

Course measurement certificates are valid for one year. Course measurement renewals can be completed online if the course is exactly the same the next time the race is run. To renew your certificate for a subsequent race, click here. If you do not have a renewal code (older certificates), please get in touch by e-mail to renew.

If you have any questions about course measurement, please contact our Course Measurement Co-Ordinator Mike Burns on measurement@scottishathletics.org.uk.

Event Returns

Following any licensed event, event organisers must send to scottishathletics a completed event return form, a copy of their entries list (including SA numbers) and a copy of their results within 28 days of their event taking place. Road race organisers should also complete a medical return form, and any levies collected from Road/MT, Cross Country or Trail/Ultra races should be paid at the same time.

Event Return Form
Road Race Medical Return Form

Event Support Officers

Event Support Officer Role Information

Event Organiser Updates

Important information about updates to licensing processes and other events news is sent to Event Organisers in a regular e-mail. Previous editions can be viewed below, and to join the Event Organiser mailing list to receive future updates, click here

Update 1 – December 2017
Update 2 – January 2018
Update 3 – March 2018
Update 4 – May 2018
Update 5 – June 2018
Update 6 – August 2018

Further Information

Forestry Comission Land-use Guidance
Hill Running Commission Champs Guidance
HRC Guidelines for junior hill running events
scottishathletics Road Running and Cross Country Commission
Scottish Highland Games Association
Scottish Hill Runners
Scottish Association of Track Statisticians

Event Planning Tips

Road Races

The link below provides an overview of the main things to consider when planning to host a road race. Follow the link and then click on the circles, zoom in and out by scrolling with your mouse, or use the arrows at the bottom of the page to explore the topic and find out more.