What is WAVA?
World Association of Veteran Athletes, subsidized by the IAAF (International Amateur Athletics Federation) but with a much smaller budget — about $80,000 a year. (At Gateshead in 1999, WAVA delegates fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to change the group’s name to WAMA — the World Association of Masters Athletes. The proposal was unanimously favored by the Executive Council, thinking a change was needed to gain commercial marketability.) WAVA — with 125 affiliate countries — sponsors regional and world masters track championships. World meets are held every two years. Japan hosted in 1993, Buffalo (N.Y.) in 1995 and Durban, South Africa, in July 1997. The 1999 meet wwas hosted by Gateshead, England, and the 2001 meet will be in Brisbane, Australia. The 2003 World Veterans Athletic Championships were awarded to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, but that fell through and Puerto Rico will instead host the meet. 2002 World Masters Games — a multisport event — will be held in October
