World Athletics aims to prevent calendar clashes with Wanda Diamond League and Continental Tour Gold, Silver or Bronze international meetings

World Athletics has announced set protected national championships windows for the next four years as the global governing body looks to avoid calendar clashes with events such as the Wanda Diamond League.

It means athletes will no longer have to choose between competing at their national event or lining up at other top one-day meetings, which was the case last year when the British Championships was held on the same weekend as the Paris Diamond League.

In 2021 the first protected national championships window is June 5-6 and the second is June 26-27, while in 2022 the dates are June 25-26 and in 2023 the windows are July 8-9 and July 29-30.

In 2024 the dates are June 8-9 and June 29-30.

“These protected windows mean that the national federations in Europe, North America & Caribbean and northern Africa can plan their national championships on these weekends free in the knowledge that there will be no clashes with Wanda Diamond League, or Continental Tour Gold, Silver or Bronze international meetings,” said World Athletics following the first day of the governing body’s 222nd Council meeting, which is being held virtually.

“The Global Calendar Unit is working on similar suitable arrangements with Asia, South America, southern Africa and Oceania to ensure the optimisation of the calendar in those continental areas.”

Earlier this year British Athletics announced new dates of August 8-9 for the UK championships as part of a set national championships weekend alongside other federations but the event was further postponed.

It is now set to take place behind closed doors on September 4-5 in Manchester.