The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has unveiled a new format for the World Cup during a two-day council meeting that began on Friday.

The new structure for the international track and field team competition will be introduced at the next edition of the quadrennial World Cup being hosted in Split, Croatia in September 2010.

The new format, introduced after feedback from the public and television rights holders, will consist of four continental teams representing Africa, the Americas, Australasia and Europe.

There will be two athletes per team in each individual event and three athletes in the longer distance competitions.

(Xinhua News Agency November 22, 2008)