ITU's Executive Board Meets in Bermuda

The Executive Board of the International Triathlon Union (ITU) has met during two days in Hamilton, Bermuda, ahead of the country’s hosting debut in the World Triathlon Series. Home of double World Champion Flora Duffy, the island welcomed the Board and all competitors, coaches, staff and spectators to a wonderful spectacle of triathlon, with the Board taking the opportunity of participating in lively debate and discussions to improve the future of our sport and our organization.

"This has been an intense week of meetings, discussions and work but, most of all, it has been a week of watching and enjoying the ways in which our sport can truly inspire new generations – indeed a whole country - and our events can be so successful that they assume the front cover of newspapers and lead TV programmes all around the world", said ITU President and IOC Member, Marisol Casado.

"I am immensely proud of the work done by all the ITU’s staff and Board members over the past months, and proud, too, of the challenges and goals we have set ourselves in order to push our organisation even further, so that we can continue to inspire more people, to attract new generations of athletes and face the new Olympic cycle in the strongest possible position", she said.

One of the main topics during the meeting were the Development initiatives organized by ITU and its Continental Confederations and the new National Federations Survey. This survey collects data from all NFs on a range of triathlon subjects that will help ITU to not only improve its development programmes, but also to have a clearer picture of how the sport is evolving worldwide whilst maintaining the standards of excellence and good governance of the ITU.

The EB reviewed and approved the 2017 financial statements and the 2018 first quarter budget, going on to discuss the new calendar for the World Triathlon Series in 2019, west to be announced shortly. The bid process was also formally opened for the 2021 ITU World Triathlon Grand Final, as well as the 2021 ITU World Triathlon Sprint & Relay World Championships, the 2020 and 2021 ITU World Triathlon Multisport Championships, the 2019 World Cups and the 2019 Paratriathlon events.

The EB discussed the necessary measures to be taken in relation to the GDPR regulations set to be enforced in Europe later this month. The status of the ITU branding was also under discussion. A change in the Members Chapter of the Constitution was approved that, along with the renaming of the Arbitration Tribunal to World Triathlon Tribunal, will be presented to the ITU Congress in the Gold Coast later in the year for approval.

The Board also had the chance to review the status of the major upcoming events, especially the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the 2018 Buenos Aires Youth Olympic Games, and reviewed plans for increasing the presence of Winter Triathlon and of triathlon at other events, such as the Beach Games or the World Games.

Furthermore, the EB reviewed the traveling policy for the EB Members in the coming years, there was a discussion about policies being implemented to continue the fight against sexual discrimination within organisations, and a new ranking for Aquathlon was also approved.

With the President’s report recapping all of her activities in the last few months, the Executive Board also received an update on the progress of the new Strategic Plan, in place since December 2017 and designed to grow triathlon globally, setting international standards of excellence in the sport and also in the management of the International Federation.

After two days of intense meetings, the Board had the chance to enjoy first-hand the World Triathlon Series’ debut on the beautiful island of Bermuda. Members joined the thousands of spectators who cheered endlessly for their home-town heroine, Flora Duffy, and watched the new generation of talented athletes from Norway sweep the men’s podium for the first time ever, showcasing the great work being performed by some National Federations ahead of Tokyo 2020.

- END -

For print media information, please contact:

Olalla Cernuda, Head of Communications, ITU

Email: olalla.cernuda@triathlon.org Mobile: +34 618965709

25 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is www.aroundtherings.com, for subscribers only