This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Usain Bolt has called the IAAF president Sebastian Coe’s reform package “bold”. The nine-times Olympic champion is impressed with Lord Coe’s proposals which will be put to the International Association of Athletics Federations’ special congress in Monaco on Saturday.

The IAAF’s 214 member associations will vote on Coe’s package of reforms at the first special congress in over 20 years. He is looking to implement an improved governance structure, greater representation for athletes, gender equality and the creation of an independent integrity unit.

Part of Coe’s plans means the president and IAAF council will not be allowed to serve more than 12 years.

Bolt, who defended his 100m and 200m titles in Rio this year, welcomed the plans after the doping scandal that has hit athletics this year.

“I know Seb Coe is trying to make track and field more transparent to the media so everyone can see what’s happening and no one person is fully in control,” he said.

“That’s a big move, it’s a bold move for him as IAAF president, to make it open. It also helps the sport, so people can feel more comfortable and trust the sport more. He is making some bold moves.”

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Bolt was speaking before he was named as the IAAF’s male athlete of the year for a sixth time. He was nominated alongside Mo Farah and David Rudisha and was presented with the award - which he had already won more times than anyone – by Coe on Friday.

The female athlete of the year award went to Ethiopia’s Almaz Ayana. Ayana was the 10,000m champion in Rio and also secured bronze in the 5,000m. Canada’s Rio 200m silver and 100m bronze medallist Andre De Grasse was named male rising star of the year, with the Belgian Nafissatou Thiam, the heptathlon champion at the Games in Brazil, taking the women’s award.

The American Harry Marra, who guided the decathlete Ashton Eaton to his second successive Olympic gold over the summer, was given the award for the coaching achievement, while the president’s award, recognising great service to athletics, went to Tegla Loroupe, the chef de mission for the Refugee Olympic Team in Rio.