1985 – Establishment of the IAAF Grand Prix – the milestone in the history of Word athletics. Sportsmen started to compete professionally.

The IAAF series stayed in this format till 2009 – the name was changing (since 1994 -IAAF Grand Prix II , then in 2005 it was changed into IAAF World Athletics Tour, which joined two levels of meetings: ÅF Golden League and IAAF Super Grand Prix events, and the second comprising IAAF Grand Prix events and area permit meetings).

Within this framework, The top athletic meetings were coupled in two phases:

• 1993 – 1997 – Golden Four
• 1998 – 2009 – Golden League

 

Plan, Council decided to create an Athletic One-Day Competition System based on a shared responsibility between the IAAF and the Area Associations.

As a consequence of the creation early this year of the IAAF Diamond League, a second tier of International One-Day meetings will be formed from those IAAF Permit Meetings who will not be part of the Diamond League plus the meetings of Daegu, Korea and Rabat, Morocco.

On the clear understanding that they will have had to satisfy all the requirements of the 2008 and 2009 Grand Prix level, these One-Day meetings will be formed into the IAAF World Challenge which will form the top part of the respective Area Competition System.

The programme of any meeting of the IAAF World Challenge will be composed of 16 events with a minimum of 7 by gender.

A balanced programme of disciplines will be mandatory with the allocation and coordination done by the IAAF and the concerned Area.

The Hammer Throw will be included within the competition structure of the IAAF World Challenge.

The IAAF World Challenge a new series of international one-day invitational meetings commenced on Thursday 4 March in Melbourne, Australia, with the Melbourne Track Classic.

The IAAF World Challenge takes place from March to September and, along with the IAAF Diamond League which commences on 14 May in Doha, Qatar, makes up the two elements of the IAAF's new one-day competition format, offering a bright new era for the international invitational track and field circuit.

Each IAAF World Challenge meeting will include 16 events balanced across the full range of disciplines, with prize money totalling a minimum of US$200,000 (per meeting).