The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Tuesday said the number of athletes to compete at the Rio 2016 Olympics has been reduced by 231.

A statement by the IAAF noted that a record 2,231 athletes competed at the London 2012 Games, but the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has now effected a reduction.
``The IOC has capped the figure for Rio 2016 at 2,000, thus cutting off 231,’’ it said.
Athletics will be the only sport to have its numbers cut for the Rio 2016.

The statement quoted IAAF Deputy General Secretary, Nick Davies, as saying in reaction that ``it is no problem for us and this has been done in consultation with us and with our full support’’.
Davies said London was an aberration as the IAAF had always accepted 2,000 as its Olympic quota.

The statement said Vice President of the IAAF and former Chairman of London 2012, Sebastian Coe, also claimed that he understood the IOC's decision.

``If I'm being honest, we were over-quoted in London. So, it's back to what it should have been really. So, I think we are fairly relaxed about it,’’ Coe said.

The cut in the number of athletes to compete at Rio 2016 could reinforce fears that athletics' status as the Olympics number one sport was gradually being eroded.

Earlier this year, the IOC's ruling Executive Board drew up a new revenue sharing scheme for the 28 sports that would make up the Olympic programme in Rio 2016.
Revenue sharing scheme eventually saw aquatics and gymnastics promoted to the top tier alongside athletics.

Previously, IAAF was ranked alone in the highest of four groups and received the biggest share of the money generated from television rights and other deals from each Summer Games.

Under the revised formula announced by former IOC President, Jacques Rogge, swimming's world governing body, FINA, and the World Gymnastics Federation joined the IAAF in Group A.
The IAAF received about 45 million dollars from the total of 520 million dollars in revenue shared among the federations from the London 2012.

It will now earn less from the Rio 2016.
Coe, however, insisted that athletics remained the number one Olympic sport. (NAN)