(The Rules and Method can also be downloaded in printable PDF format from the special IAAF World Rankings section of Downloads.
The latest versions of IAAF Scoring Tables and IAAF Indoor Scoring Tables can be downloaded in the Scoring Tables section of the Downloads Area )

The ranking system is based on the two main elements of all Track & Field performances, the measured results of athletes and their placings during competition. Athletes’ performances can be considered in all competitions from grass roots to elite international level. However, the IAAF or one of its Member Federations must have officially ratified the results.

The IAAF World Rankings produce Event Rankings and Overall Rankings. The Event Rankings evaluate athletes competing in a single discipline and rank the world's athletes in that specific discipline. The Overall Rankings compare all athletes in all disciplines to rank all the male and female athletes in the world.

In order to improve their ranking position, the athletes have to achieve the best possible results in their event at the highest quality competitions they can enter!

To demonstrate how the system works it is necessary to examine how the Performance Scores of the participating athletes are calculated after each competition, then to determine how the system uses these scores throughout the ranking process.

PERFORMANCE SCORE

At each competition, athletes score points for their performances. These points are awarded for the result achieved and the placing achieved by the athlete.

Result = Result Score

Placing = Placing Score

The Performance Score is obtained by adding the Result Score to the Placing Score:

EVENTS

As previously indicated the system produces:

• EVENT RANKINGS

• OVERALL RANKINGS

EVENT RANKINGS

In 2004 Road Running and Race Walking were introduced, a development which enables the Rankings to cover all the athletics disciplines: Track & Field, Combined Events, Road Running, Race Walking and the World Cross Country Championships.

Event Rankings are produced in 40 Athletics events. These Events often consist of a group of disciplines, which are similar to each other. Therefore each Event includes a ”Main Event” to which may be assimilated one or more ”Similar Events”. Table 1 shows the details by listing all the 20 men's Events and 20 women's Events.

Performances in each of these 20 men's and women's Events count separately for the Event Rankings. Athletes can be ranked in all the different Events where they have achieved performances.

Due to the differences between the calculations of the Ranking Scores, the Rules are described in three sections for the Event Ranking:

• Race Walking:

  RR &RW - Events 19-20 and 39-40 according to the Events Table

OVERALL RANKINGS

To determine the world's best athletes, the IAAF World Rankings produce Men's and Women's Overall Rankings.

The Overall Rankings are - similarly to the Event Rankings - based on the Performance Scores of the athletes at each competition. The Performance Score is the sum of the Result Score and the Placing Score of the athlete in the given competition.

Unlike the Event Rankings, for the calculation of the Overall Rankings athletes can obtain Performance Scores from more than one Event.

The details of the ranking process are described in the Overall Rankings section.

RACE WALKING

Race Walking Events are inlcuded in the IAAF World Rankings since 23 March 2004.

The names of the Events:

• Men's Race Walking

• Women's Race Walking

Events to be included in the World Rankings

PERFORMANCE SCORE

Performance Scores for these Events are based on the result and on the placing of an athlete in a competition in the same way as in the Track & Field Events:

RESULT SCORE

• The Result Scores are calculated using the latest edition of the IAAF Scoring Tables of Athletics.

• The World Rankings consider only performances which are achieved on courses certified according to the relevant IAAF Rules.

  • Only properly measured courses could be included in the World Rankings. Race distances have to be measured by an IAAF / AIMS course measurer.

  • However to avoid disregarding the performances achieved on a course which has a net drop (decrease in elevation) of more than 1 m/km, a "Downhill Modification System" has been developed to include those performances. A net drop of 1m/km of the race distance is equivalent to 12 points according the IAAF Scoring Tables. These points are deducted from the Result Scores of the athletes at the competition concerned.

    There is no deduction if the net drop is within the allowed 1 m/km.

    Over the net drop of 1 m/km every 0,1 m/km is equal 12 + 1,2 points for each 0.1 m/km. (e.g. 1.1 m/km = - 13.2 points; 1.2 m/km = - 14.4 points)

  • Breaching the 50% rule in Point-to-Point courses will result in a fix penalty of 24 points deducted from the Result Scores of the athletes at the competition concerned.

• Intermediate splits during a race cannot be considered as a result for the athlete and thus are not included in the World Rankings.

• One factor may alter the initial Result Score: setting a World Record. The bonus points for the World Record are added to the Result Score of the athlete at the competition concerned.

PLACING SCORE

• As 3 Performance Scores are required for the Ranking a different Placing Score table had been developed for Race Walking.

• This table has the same attributes with 1-8 places and from OW to F Category, only the actual points awarded are less than those for the T&F events.

• In the OW Category the first 20 athletes gain Placing Points for their performances.

• Placing Points in F Category apply only to Race Walking.

The Placing Score tables used in Race Walking for the Event Rankings are as follows:

RANKING PROCESS

For the Event Rankings 3 Performance Scores are required in the Race Walking Events in the 1-year period prior to the date of the Ranking.

The following restrictions apply to the above calculation:

• In Race Walking at least 2 Performance Scores have to come from Main Events

• Athletes with less than 3 Performance Scores, or whose performances do not comply with the above restriction, cannot have a valid Ranking Score, and are thus ineligible for ranking.

• To avoid overweighting, competitions in the OW and GW categories are only included until the last edition of the Rankings published before following year's similar type of competition, regardless of the one-year rule. (i.e. Performances from the 2004 Olympic Games was considered for the last time in the Rankings of 1 August 2005, the last edition of the Rankings before the IAAF World Championships in Helsinki)

CATEGORIES OF COMPETITIONS

A specific categorisation was made for Race Walking taking into consideration the differences from Track and Field events.

Basic guidelines for the categorisations:

• In Race Walking, categories are the same for both Men and Women (Table 13)

• Major Championships and Cups (World and Area) are in the same categories as their T&F equivalents.

• The IAAF World Race Walking Cup are in Category GW.

• For National Championships, the Main Events in Race Walking disciplines are in Category 'C', while disciplines in the Similar Events are in Category D.

• IAAF Permit competitions (like IAAF World Race Walking Challenge) are in Category B while Area Permit competitions are in Category D.

OVERALL RANKINGS

In the Overall Rankings the athletes’ best Performance Scores are considered irrespective of the Event. (i.e. for the Overall Rankings athletes can obtain Performance Scores from more than one Event).

RESULT SCORE

Result Scores are calculated in the same way as the individual Event Rankings, using the relevant IAAF Scoring Tables and the event specific modification factors: wind, hand timing and decrease in elevation, as described in the Event Rankings sections for each Event.

World Record bonus points are given according to the World Records Table used for the Individual Track & Field Events (see Table 3).

PLACING SCORE

To determine the Placing Scores, the Overall Rankings uses the same Placing Score Table as for the Individual Track & Field Events (see Table 4 & 5 for details).

RANKING PROCESS

The Overall Ranking Score is the average of the 6 best Performance Scores obtained by the athlete in a particular Event in the 1-year period prior to the date of ranking.

The Overall Rankings also takes into consideration whether the Performance Score is coming from a Main Event or from a Similar Events (see Table 1 for details).

The following restrictions apply to the above calculation:

• The 6 best Performance Scores considered for the Ranking Score must contain a minimum of 4 Performance Scores from the ”Main Event(s)”.

• Athletes with less than 6 Performance Scores, or whose performances do not comply with the above restriction, cannot have a valid Ranking Score, and are thus ineligible for ranking.

• To avoid overweighting, competitions in the OW and GW categories are only included until the last edition of the Rankings published before following year's similar type of competition, regardless of the one-year rule. (i.e. Performances from the 2004 Olympic Games was considered for the last time in the Rankings of 1 August 2005, the last edition of the Rankings before the IAAF World Championships in Helsinki)

Due to the different ranking requirements in Race Walking from the Overall (i.e. the average of 3 best Performance Scores counts instead of the 6) and in the 5000-10,000m (where 3 Main Events are required instead of the 4) should the Ranking Score of an athlete in the above three Events be higher than those obtained in the Overall, the Event Ranking Score is regarded as the athlete's Overall Ranking Score.

HOW TO CALCULATE THE RANKINGS SCORE

Do It Yoursef!!!

1. How is your Rankings position determined?

Your Rankings position is determined by your three best performances within twelve months in Race Walking.

At each competition, you receive points for your performance (Performance Score or Pf.S.). The Pf.S. consists of two elements, the Result Score (R.S.) and the Placing Score (Pl.S.).

Performance Score = Result Score + Placing Score