Sebastian Coe talks about the importance of Nitro Athletics

Talking on ABC Grandstand in Australia, IAAF President Sebastian Coe talks about the need for innovation within global athletics.

"I'm delighted that it's actually come out of Australia because you guys really do know how to put on an event whether it's some of the more traditional sports or certainly trying to innovate around traditional themes and I think this is what Nitro is going to do for athletics," Coe says.

"I've always said that 'our activity is sport but our business is entertainment' and many of our current themes and formats are tired, and I think we have to accept that."

What I like about Nitro, is that it's not a replacement for a world championships and not a replacement for our Diamond Leagues or our permit meetings but what it is, is it's actually challenging our sport to look at things differently."

"There are going to be different types of events, different distances we've got power plays - there's strategy. It's 24 athletes with 12 male and 12 female with one captain and of course when you have Usain Bolt who is probably at this very moment the most recognisable sportsman on the planet heading up one of the teams you've really got a very attractive proposition and I really do take my hat off to Mark Arbib and Athletics Australia and the support from Channel 7."

"Nitro captures all the essence of the sport but puts it into a slightly more modern setting and that's what I'm really looking for and I want to see other federations take up the challenge, that you guys have actually taken up."

"I want people to go along to Nitro because I think that they will be exposed to something that will be incredibly exciting. This really can be the beginning of a very new era in our sport."

LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW ON ABC GRANDSTAND HERE: