Editing Track and field (section)

===Meetings===
[[File:Northbridge International School Cambodia, Track meet.jpg|thumb|A child taking part in a local schools meeting in [[Cambodia]]]]
One-day track and field meetings form the most common and seasonal aspect of the sport – they are the most basic level of track and field competition. Meetings are generally organised annually either under the patronage of an educational institution or sports club, or by a group or business that serves as the [[Promoter (entertainment)|meeting promoter]]. In the case of the former, athletes are selected to represent their club or institution. In the case of privately run or independent meetings, athletes participate on an invitation-only basis.<ref>[http://www.athle.com/asp.net/main.html/html.aspx?htmlid=418 Les Meetings] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091008170547/http://www.athle.com/asp.net/main.html/html.aspx?htmlid=418 |date=8 October 2009 }}. [[:fr:Fédération française d'athlétisme|Fédération française d'athlétisme]]. Retrieved on 6 April 2010.</ref>

The most basic type of meetings are [[all-comers track meet]]s, which are largely small, local, informal competitions that allow people of all ages and abilities to compete. As meetings become more organized they can gain official sanctioning by the local or national association for the sport.<ref>[http://www.usatf.org/events/sanctions/ Event Sanctions – Overview & Benefits] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100402103944/http://www.usatf.org/events/sanctions/ |date=2 April 2010 }}. [[USATF]]. Retrieved on 7 April 2010.</ref>

At the professional level, meetings began to offer significant financial incentives for all athletes in the 1990s in Europe with the creation of the [[Golden Four]] competition, comprising meetings in [[Weltklasse Zürich|Zürich]], [[Memorial Van Damme|Brussels]], [[ISTAF Berlin|Berlin]] and [[Bislett Games|Oslo]]. This expanded and received IAAF backing as the [[IAAF Golden League]] in 1998,<ref>Rowbottom, Mike (12 November 1997). [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/athletics-golden-four-extended-with-more-money-and-meetings-1295523.html?cmp=ilc-n Athletics: Golden Four extended with more money and meetings] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701083408/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/athletics-golden-four-extended-with-more-money-and-meetings-1295523.html?cmp=ilc-n |date=1 July 2017 }}. ''[[The Independent]]''. Retrieved on 6 April 2010.</ref> which was later supplemented by the branding of selected meetings worldwide as the [[IAAF World Athletics Tour]]. In 2010, the Golden League idea was expanded globally as the [[Diamond League]] series and this now forms the top tier of professional one-day track and field meetings.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/mar/02/diamond-league-athletics Diamond League to launch next year] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170301065159/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/mar/02/diamond-league-athletics |date=1 March 2017 }}. ''[[The Guardian]]'' (2 March 2009). Retrieved on 6 April 2010.</ref>