What officiating accreditation levels exist in Australian athletics?
Guideline- Australia
- Athletics Australia
- Track and field
- All ages
- 2026/27
- Officials
- World Athletics rules
The Australian Athletics Officials' Education Scheme, shared by Athletics Australia and Little Athletics Australia, has these levels:
- Level 0: online introductory general principles course (ethics, preparation, safety, communication, conflict, people management). Not compulsory but strongly recommended.
- Level 1: entry level, no club or State Association membership needed. Twelve online courses: Track, Starting, Long Jump, High Jump, Pole Vault, Triple Jump, Hammer Throw, Javelin, Discus, Shot Put, Walks and Out of Stadia. Each takes about 45-90 minutes and ends with a quiz and a Certificate of Completion.
- Level 2: for officials seeking appointment as a State-level Chief or Referee, or a National-level Chief. Needs 15 practical days at approved meets (10 for Race Walking) signed off by a Level 2 or 3 official, at least one approved seminar, eLearning including para athletics, and an online exam with a 75% pass mark. Level 1 prerequisites apply (for Track, Level 1 Track and Starting).
- Level 3: the highest accreditation offered in Australia, for national-level appointments across Track, Jumps, Throws, Walks, Out of Stadia, Technical and Competition Management. The source page says Level 3 is still being developed.
At international level, the World Athletics Referees Education and Certification System has Bronze, Silver and Gold levels across General Referees, Race Walking Judges, Photo Finish Judges and Starters.
Sources: https://www.littleathletics.com.au/officiating-levels-3/, https://www.athletics.com.au/participant-hub/officials-volunteers/officials/international-technical-officials/
Added 24 Oct 2026