Following significant working group activity, live online trials, Finance & Risk Committee work and Board discussion over the last two years the Board of Athletics Ireland has approved a new one-day licencing (ODL) system for all permitted recreational events.
Athletics Ireland is establishing the requirement for all non-AAI members participating in permitted Athletics Ireland recreational events to purchase a €2 one day licence (ODL). All revenue generated from this initiative will directly support the delivery of our high-performance programme for further international success.
The IT infrastructure to support this new ODL is currently under development and includes the following key points.
- Only non-members pay the ODL – Athletics Ireland members do not pay the ODL and this places a value on club membership.
- All €50 permit fees will be retained by respective County Boards approving events. Note 80% of our 650 permitted events are 1000 people or less and are priced at €50 including insurance which represents excellent value.
- A results database from permitted events will be developed, similar to the power of ten, this database will be a powerful tool in expanding our digitisation into the recreational space. It will allow us to communicate with a large cohort of athletes outside our clubs on a regular basis and provide additional event opportunities and services like Irish Runner magazine to this cohort.
- The database and integrated system will mean that all permitted events will be scheduled on the Athletics Ireland webpages and provide a powerful marketing tool for all race organisers to encourage participant sign up.
- Our registration partner Eventmaster will provide preferential rates of 4.5% for event registration excluding bank fees (For registration under €14.00 a €1.00 minimum will be applied).
- The new development will provide an integrated events calendar for all AAI permitted events linked to permit application.
- There will be a full-time staff resource to support the system users and user education.
- Any chip timing company can be used to facilitate the timing of an event. All registration must take place with Eventmaster through the Athletics Ireland online system at the preferential rate.
- This system will be introduced from the 1st of January 2023. An additional webpage on the new system is currently being set up to explain the ODL.
The President and CEO are currently visiting the provinces and larger Counties to communicate the details of this new system and educational webinars will be available from November to upskill all in how to use the new system.