The 2021 European Athletics Team Championships was held in four cities, on 29–30 May (Super League) and on 19–20 June 2021. For the first time, the ETC was not held on the same weekend for all leagues.[1][2] At the European Athletics Team Championships medals are not awarded in individual events.
It had been decided in 2018 that, starting in 2021, a new system would be introduced for grouping teams in the ETC. This would aim to have 8 teams in the Super League (plus the host country if it had not already qualified), 12 teams in the First and Second Leagues, and all the remaining teams in the Third League.
The city of Minsk, Belarus, initially designated as the Super League venue, was replaced by Chorzów in November 2020 due to the political situation in Belarus.[4]
Before the last event on Sunday, the Men's 4x400 m relay, three teams could still win the Championship: Poland with 176.5 points, Great Britain with 174 points and Italy with 172 points.
The Italian team took an easy lead of the race after the first two legs, with Alessandro Sibilio passing the baton to Edoardo Scotti at third leg, with Great Britain just beside him. But the third leg British runner was then unable to give his baton to his teammate Rabah Yousif, and the Polish team finished strongly in the last leg to go from 5th to 3rd. As a result, Poland obtained enough points to win over Italy, which set the EL time, winning the last race, as during 2019 European Team Championships with the same EL result.[9][10]
At the European Athletics Team Championships medals are only awarded to teams, but with gold, silver and bronze conventionally refers to the top three finishes.[11]
The two first teams of the First League 2021 shall be promoted to the Super League 2023. The lowest three teams of the First League 2021 (including Ireland as a penalty for its withdrawal) shall be relegated to the Second League 2023.[12]
Ireland, who withdrew citing Covid reasons, was relegated to the Second League 2023.
As the city of Minsk, Belarus, had initially been chosen to host the 2021 Super League by European Athletics, their team should have been automatically promoted to that division following this competition.[14]
Katsiaryna Karneyenka of Belarus, finishing 7th in the women's 5000 metres, and Kyriakos Zotos of Greece, finishing 5th in the men's shot put, have both been disqualified after the competition for previous doping violations. The scores have been changed accordingly.[15]
Women's 400m, Final A, EL and CR, Femke Bol, 50.37, 19 Jun 2021
Women's 100m Hurdles, Final A, CR, Elvira Herman, 12.62, 20 Jun 2021
Women's Triple Jump, EL and NR, Senni Salminen, 14.63 m, 19 Jun 2021
Second League
Participating countries
The three first classified teams of the Second League 2021 shall be promoted to the First League 2023. The lowest three teams of the Second League 2021, Russia, Austria and Israel, did not participate and were automatically relegated to Third League 2023.
Austria and Israel withdrew due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while Russia were disqualified as the team was still banned from competing internationally at the time entries closed.
As Russia were serving their continuing suspension by the IAAF for gross and systematic doping violations, they were disqualified, and is thus relegated to Second League.
