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• Wanda Diamond League to increase athlete prize money to historic high

  The Wanda Diamond League will increase athlete prize money to the highest levels in the series’ history from next season.

  Following a decision by the Diamond League General Assembly on Sunday, the total amount of prize money paid over the course of the season will increase to US$9.24 million in 2025.

  The new total is almost a third higher than the sum paid during the pandemic-affected period of 2021-2024 and the highest ever since the Diamond League’s launch in 2010. 

  Including promotional fees for top athletes, a total of around US$18 million will be paid to athletes in total over the course of the 2025 season, with many more millions being invested in athlete services such as travel and transport, accommodation, and medical and physio provision.

  Under the new structure, the total prize money awarded per meeting will be US$500,000 at each of the 14 regular series meetings and US$2.240 million at the Wanda Diamond League Final.

  The total prize money per discipline will be between US$30,000 and US$50,000 at the series meetings and between US$60,000 and US$100,000 at the final. 

  As always, prize money is entirely gender-equal, with exactly the same rates for male and female athletes. The increase will also apply to all 32 Diamond disciplines, benefitting athletes across the full diversity of track and field. 
   
  The increase in prize money reflects the Wanda Diamond League’s position as athletics’ premier one-day series and the backbone of the outdoor season for the world’s biggest stars. 

  With 15 meetings in 13 countries on four different continents, the series provides elite athletes from across the globe with a chance to compete at the highest level from April to September. 

  Since 2010, the series and its meetings have invested an estimated US$270 million in athletes: US$180 million in promotional fees and prize money, and around US$90 million in athlete services.
    
  As it enters its 16th season in 2025, CEO of Diamond League AG, Petr Stastny, said the series will continue to provide the best conditions possible and highest level services for athletes in all disciplines. 

  “The Wanda Diamond League remains committed to rewarding the athletes more whilst at the same time ensuring the long-term sustainability of the series, so it continues to provide vital competition to the athletes for many more years to come,” Stastny declared.

  “In an ever-changing landscape in the sports, media, and entertainment world, we have always been on the forefront of innovation in our sport of athletics. Featuring a total of 32 disciplines over each season, we provide the world's best athletes the opportunity to compete at the highest possible level. Having competitors from around 100 countries every year allows for TV audiences in 150 countries and territories, making our series a truly universal and global league,” he added. 

• Grenadian 400m icon Kirani James and Antigua's Sir Curtly Ambrose to receive UWI honorary doctorates

  Decorated Grenadian quarter-miler Kirani James and West Indies cricket legend Sir Curtly Ambrose are set to be honoured with honorary doctorate degrees from the University of the West Indies (UWI), according to reports. They are among 13 distinguished individuals recognized for their outstanding contributions to the Caribbean region, with ceremonies scheduled across UWI's five campuses from October 12 to November 9, 2024.

  Kirani James, renowned as one of the most accomplished 400m runners in history, will receive the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws (LLD). James, who made history as Grenada's first Olympic gold medalist, has consistently excelled on the global stage. He is one of only nine athletes ever to win world titles at the youth, junior, and senior levels and is the first athlete to secure three individual Olympic medals in the 400m, with gold in 2012, silver in 2016, and bronze in 2020. James also boasts three World Championship medals, including gold in 2011.

  Beyond his illustrious athletic career, James has demonstrated a commitment to education and community development. He holds a Bachelor's degree in General Business and serves on the Board of Directors of the Windward Islands Research & Education Foundation (WINDREF), where he contributes to the Sport for Health programme. His recognition by UWI not only celebrates his athletic achievements but also acknowledges his broader contributions to Grenadian society and the Caribbean region.

  Joining James among the honorees is Sir Curtly Ambrose, the legendary fast bowler from Antigua and Barbuda, who will also be conferred with an honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) degree. Ambrose, one of cricket's all-time greats, terrorized batsmen worldwide during his career, helping to cement the West Indies' dominance in the sport during the late 1980s and 1990s. His remarkable impact on cricket has left a lasting legacy, making him a fitting recipient of this distinguished recognition.

  In its official statement, UWI emphasized the importance of celebrating individuals who have made significant contributions to various fields, including sports, culture, medicine, and human rights. "This year's recipients have excelled in advocacy, medicine, tourism, culture, sports, business, education, science, and music," UWI stated, highlighting the diverse achievements of those being honored.

  The UWI graduation ceremonies will take place across its campuses in Antigua, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and globally via the UWI Open Campus, each marking the contributions of the honorees in their respective fields. James' recognition will take place on November 9 at the Global Campus, while Sir Curtly Ambrose will be honoured at the Five Islands Campus ceremony in Antigua on October 12.

   

• Seasoned journalist Ian Burnett selected for sports journalism summit in the Dominican Republic

  Respected sports journalist Ian Burnett is set to join fellow journalists from across the Americas and the Caribbean later this month for a high-level Sports Journalism Summit in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Organized by Centro Caribe Sports (CCS), the summit will provide comprehensive training in both theoretical and practical aspects of high-quality sports journalism.

  Burnett was selected by the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) to participate in the program, an opportunity he regards as a significant milestone in his career. "I am deeply honored to be selected by the Jamaica Olympic Association to participate in this prestigious training programme," Burnett said. "I have had the privilege of covering numerous global sporting events. Yet, the opportunity to engage in this focused programme on journalism and sports reporting presents a new horizon for professional growth. The evolving landscape of sports journalism, coupled with the increasing demand for insightful and comprehensive coverage, requires constant refinement of our skills and approaches."

  CCS, which owns and hosts the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games, is driving this initiative as part of its educational agenda aimed at delivering tailored programs for sports professionals. The summit is intended to build capacity within the sports journalism community, providing journalists with the tools to deliver not just the statistics and outcomes of sporting events but also to convey the values and contexts that shape the sporting narrative.

  CCS Second Vice-President, Christopher Samuda, emphasized the importance of the journalist's role in the broader sports ecosystem. “CCS will be hosting fora for sport professionals across the spectrum designed to build capacity," Samuda said. "The journalist telegraphs to an audience larger than that in his national village not only the statistics and rationale of victory, best performances, and defeat but, more importantly, values that inform thought, are defining of judgement, that contextualize past and present experiences and events in sport, and portray a future that learns from the past.”

  The JOA, through its business product "Stamina" and the Olympic Solidarity Advanced Sports Management Course (ASMC), continues to promote educational initiatives aimed at sports development. JOA Secretary General Ryan Foster, who co-chairs the Finance Commission of CCS, highlighted the importance of such professional training programs. "For us at the JOA, education is dynamic to sport and sport development, and professional training provides the curriculum for growth and a return on investment. ROIs are themselves key performance indicators of a viable sporting sector," Foster stated.

  CCS's inclusive approach involves utilizing the expertise of regional professionals in staging its junior and senior games as well as business forums. Burnett acknowledges the significance of this approach, noting the summit's potential to foster regional collaboration and knowledge sharing. "This programme offers an invaluable platform for sharing knowledge, discussing best practices, and exchanging ideas with fellow professionals from the region. Such a convergence of expertise will undoubtedly strengthen our collective ability to elevate the quality of sports reporting across the Caribbean and the Americas," he said.

  Burnett's participation in the summit reflects the ongoing efforts to enhance sports journalism across the region, ensuring that the evolving landscape of sports is met with insightful and comprehensive coverage.