US call for World Cup overhaul

Africa's men won a fourth straight World Cup in Madrid

USA athletics boss Craig Masback has called for a Ryder Cup-style format to be introduced to athletics' World Cup competition to boost flagging interest.

The World Cup has come in for much criticism in recent years for the timing of the event and its contrived format.

Think what a big team event the Ryder Cup has become on the US sports scene

USA Track and Field boss Craig Masback

The competition is a team-scoring event featuring squads representing five continents and four countries, and has no fixed date in the athletics calendar.

With a World Championships every two years, as well the Golden League and the grand prix series, the World Cup has found itself way down the list of athletes' priorities.

But Masback, chief executive of USA Track and Field, told the Times newspaper that the competition's format should be reconsidered in time for the 2006 World Cup in Los Angeles.

He said: "If someone was to invite us to a US versus Europe versus Africa that fitted into the schedule - and I dare say it would have to have prize money, with maybe a two-per-team format - I would be very interested."

Country v country

Despite the current lack of interest in the event, Masback is confident that it will capture the attention of the US in 2006.

"The American public understands country v country," he said. "Think Ryder Cup, what a big team event that has become on the US sports scene.

"The meet has worked best in the country that understood team-versus-team competition and had a competitive team, which was in Great Britain [at Crystal Palace in 1994].

"The team was motivated, the crowd was into it. We think that will exist to an even greater degree in the United States.

"The event will be three weeks earlier. We will have a legitimate chance to compete for both the men's and women's titles. That in itself will be a Ryder Cup setting."

Africa's men clinched an unprecedented fourth consecutive World Cup title in Madrid earlier this month. Russia won the women's event for the first time.

Africa earn place in history