Qatar's Dahlan Jumaan al-Hamad (an IAAF vice-president) defeated the incumbent, Suresh Kalmadi of India, by a margin of 20 votes to 18.

Mutaz Essa Barshim was the only Asian 2012 Olympic medallist who intended to participate, but he withdrew due to a back injury.

[9] Thirteen champions from 2011 were present and six of them (Su Bingtian, Yousef Masrahi, Dejene Regassa, Shitaye Eshete, Satomi Kubokura, and Wassanee Winatho) successfully defended their title.

A total of eight championships records were bettered at the competition: Shitaye Eshete broke the longest-standing of these by winning the women's 10,000 metres in 32:17.29 minutes, breaking Zhong Huandi's time from 1989.

[11] The Athletics Federation of India withdrew an unnamed female shot putter from their squad for a failed doping test one day before the opening of the championships.