The USA Triathlon Congressional delegation consisted of Mike Highfield, president of the USA Triathlon Board of Directors; Dottie Dorian, longtime member of the ITU Women's Commission; Lynne Kosorek, president of the USA Triathlon Southwest Regional Federation and Steve Locke, executive director of USA Triathlon. The USA Triathlon Board of Directors selected this delegation, and the final decision on USAT votes was vested with it, not with the Board of Directors.

Among the specific reasons for this conclusion (in no particular order of importance) were the following:

1. Generally, it was believed that it was better to keep the power
base of the sport in North America, as opposed to having it shift to Europe.

2. The challengers to the current regime were not well organized and didn't have a strong platform or vision for the future.

3. Delegate Dorian has been on the ITU Women's Commission for many years. Based on her experience she felt that Koenig-Zenz had had a negative impact on women's involvement in triathlon.

4. It is quite clear that Mark Sisson of the United States is the heir-apparent to McDonald in four years, and it is believed to be in our country's best interests to have him as ITU President in 2004.

5. Additionally, Sisson is the leading expert within the ITU family in the critical area of anti-doping. To have him removed from power would have left our sport vulnerable in this field.

6. It was believed, that in the absence of clear evidence that the IOC wanted McDonald removed, that to change leadership four months before our first Olympic appearance would be a mistake. And, while it was almost certainly McDonald-orchestrated, there was evidence that the IOC did not want a leadership change in our sport at this time.

7. We were given assurances that the ITU Executive Board would be taking a more prominent role in ITU policy-making than in the past.

8. While Koenig-Zenz is a European, we were troubled by the fact that so many of the key countries of her own continent were not supporting her. If the report on "Triathlonlive" is accurate, Great Britain, France, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Italy, and Russia all voted against her. If she was such a good candidate, why so little support from those who know her best?

9. In addition to the above countries, virtually all other major triathlon countries in the world -- Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Japan -- voted for McDonald and his team.

10. No matter how you slice it, Les McDonald got our sport into the Olympics, and did it in record time.

Rest assured that your Delegation to the ITU Congress took its responsibilities seriously. We fully appreciated the significance of the votes we had to cast. Based on all of the above, we believe we acted in the best interests of our sport and our country.

Sincerely,

Mike Highfield, USAT President
Steve Locke, USAT Executive Director

The full text may be found on USAT's website. An opinion piece on the subject from our publisher, Dan Empfield, may be found here.

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Perth “team” got endorsement from IOC’s Igaya

It is a rare occasion when International Olympic Committee members make public comments on the inner workings of IOC-member International Federations, but that is exactly what happened last week in the case of the ITU and its elections last week.

Japan’s Chiharu Igaya, an executive board member of the IOC, is also the vice-president of the ITU. In advance of the ITU elections in Perth last week, the ITU circulated a statement to all ITU Congress delegates carrying his signature -- Chiharu Igaya (IOC).

That statement read: “My endorsement of the unity team is not only my personal belief but also that of many of the senior members of the IOC who are both colleagues and friends, who have clearly indicated that the election of Les McDonald as President of ITU is vital for the continuation of Triathlon in future Olympic Games.”

That is in direct contrast to the ITU’s own statements just three days later, on April 30 when the women’s course for the World Championships race proved short. Asked if that technical mistake would reflect poorly on triathlon’s chances of staying on the Olympic program, Loreen Barnett, the ITU’s technical delegate for the race and the federation’s fulltime administrator, replied: "What the Olympic family sees in Sydney on September 16 and 17 will be what affects the sport's Olympic future."

Nonetheless, Mr. Igaya’s last-minute endorsement of Les McDonald and his “unity team” managed to have some impact, as all the candidates were elected. The “unity team”:

President: Les McDonald, Canada
Vice President: Chiharu Igaya (IOC), Japan
Secretary General: Mark Sisson, USA
Treasurer: Bill Walker, Australia
Executive Board:
1. Ms Marisol Casado, Spain
2. Ms Libby Burrell, South Africa
3. Antonio Alvarez, Mexico
4. Brian Hinton, Australia
5. Jacques LaParade, France
6. Rami Ramachandran, India
7. Mick English, Great Britain

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A triathlon world divided

April 27, Perth, Australia (www.slowtwitch.com):

Upon winning another four years of presidency of the ITU, Les McDonald extended an olive branch to his opposition as he spoke before the ITU Congress delegates on Thursday. But his suggestion of renewing “friendship and unity” was swiftly batted down by Erika Koenig-Zenz, the unsuccessful opposition candidate.

“I responded by saying to all the delegates that when 13 countries are excluded from Congress, for whatever reasons; when a president physically attacks people to the point that they go to the police; when a president falsifies the ITU constitution and minutes; when a president suppresses democracy in a congress -- that president is not entitled to talk about unity.

“In a real serious competition, it is no shame to lose. But Les McDonald has won this election using the dirtiest tricks you can imagine.”

Koenig-Zenz and her circle of supporters are meeting Friday morning with their Australian attorneys. They are likely to file legal challenges that would seek the election results to be rendered null and void.

“We are going to see to see what can be done. We feel a real fraud of the election has occurred, in the worst way possible.”

Had the credentialled representatives of 13 countries been allowed to vote in Congress (and not banned from entry, which is what McDonald imposed using security guards), the vote would likely have been 35-33. Close indeed, but it is questionable whether it was enough to throw the election to the other side. But the Koenig-Zenz and the ETU is still smarting after delegates received “information packets” containing a mix of material, all of it pro-ITU and inflaming delegates’ fears that if McDonald loses, triathlon was out of the Olympics after Sydney. Among those papers:

• Copy of articles earlier this week by reporters for both the Sydney Morning Herald and Agence France Presse, both of which relied on unnamed sources at the IOC, suggesting that triathlon would be tossed out of the Olympics if anyone but McDonald won the presidency of ITU;

• Statement from Japan’s Chiharu Igaya pledging his full support, along with ITU Asian representative Rami Ramachandran of India, for McDonald and his united slate. Although Igaya had told the Executive Board that he was making the statement not as an IOC member, but as an ITU vice-president, his name carried his IOC member status;

• An additional statement from Igaya -- identified again with his IOC-member credential -- reminding delegates that his IOC friends have expressed concern if McDonald is not reelected as president, as it could harm the status of triathlon as an Olympic sport.

To that, Koenig-Zenz says: “We feel his IOC membership has been used, or misused, by McDonald, saying that it’s necessary for McDonald to be elected.”

There was additional memo on the desk as each delegate took his or her seat. There was a four-page note (three pages in Portuguese), with an English cover sheet:

"Joao Calazans Guilty of Theft from Athletes" read the headline, followed by a brief account of how on March 3 a court in Brazilia (sic: McDonald means Brasilia) issued a ruling which, the ITU says, "found the former President of the Brazil Triathlon Federation guilty of theft".

It goes on: "... athletes named as defendants in the court case ..." (sic: McDonald perhaps meant witnesses for the prosecution) "...include Antonio Mansur Filho, Ramara Vilela Bogli, Fernanda Keller, Armando Barcellos, Alexander Carvalho, Marcos Ornelas" (sic: the athlete’s name is Marcus Ornellas).

The basis of the case, the ITU summarized, was that Calazans had claimed air fares for 20 athletes to attend the 1994 long distance event in Nice when only 12 athletes attended -- the assumption, according to the ITU material, being that Calazans had pocketed the difference. The ITU memo gave that as nearly Aus$20,000, which is about US$12,000.

The front-page English sheet then concluded:

“Joao Calazans is no longer President of the Brazil Triathlon Federation. He is currently seeking the position of Treasurer of the ITU, as a candidate from Venezuela.

“Do you think it appropriate that an individual convicted of criminal actions should be the Treasurer of any organisation? Do you think it appropriate that the individuals (Didier) Lehénaff, Koenig-Zenz, (Martin) Engelhardt are associated with this criminal on a so-called opposition team to take over ITU?”

Koenig-Zenz contends that without the ITU’s last-minute flurry of material and well-placed articles in newspapers, etc., the election would have likely fallen differently.

“If you count it out, with this kind of influence we would have had a 35-33 vote,” she said. “Without this influence, we would have won. The articles in the Sydney Morning Herald and by Agence France Presse clearly have influenced this election.”

The above accounting does not contain the entire list of inflammatory themes, however. The ETU "side" has had favorable press in recent weeks, or rather its side gained purchase, via an article in the inflential newsletter Sport Intern damning the incumbent president. The ETU has been making no secret of the resume of McDonald sins it has collected, and has threatened lawsuits as a result of his misdeeds if the ETU faction did not prevail in the election.

Each party, therefore, has reasons to smart this morning. It remains to be seen whether or not a rapproachment might be forthcoming for the two sides. The delegates and voters both have seen hardball politics at work. Now the triathlon world will see if diplomacy exists among the players.

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THE ITU COMMITTEES: Who’s in, who’s out

April 27, Perth, Australia (www.slowtwitch.com):



• TECHNICAL COMMITTEE:
Which seven were elected: Loreen Barnett (CAN), Jaime Cadaval (MEX), David Coles (AUS), Carsten Ditlefsen (DEN), Michel Gignoux (FRA), Gergely Markus (HUN), Masao Nakayama (JPN).

Who wasn’t elected: Rolando Herrera (CUB), Jorge Manuel Herrera (CUB), Bornd Lange (GER), Helmut Menger (GER), Dragana Pavlovic (YUG), Enrique Quesada (ESP), Emil Stoinev (BUL), Roberto Tamburri (ITA), Michael Thoren (SWE).

• MEDICAL COMMITTEE:
Which seven were elected: Dr. Susanne Baur (GER), Dr. Manuel Chamorro (ESP), Dr. Phillippe Chateau (FRA), Dr. Douglas Hiller (USA), Dr. Toshihito Katsumura (JPN), Dr. Sergio Migliorini (ITA), Dr. Ruedi Rubenhofer (SUI)


Who wasn’t elected: Dr. Alain LeBlanc (CAN), Dr. Edisson Osorio (PUR), Dr. Dianne Robinson (AUS).

• WOMEN'S COMMITTEE:
Which seven were elected: Cheryl Battaerd (AUS), Ria Damgren (SWE), Dorothy Dorian (USA), Pamela Fralick (CAN), Surekha Ramachandran (IND), Liesbeth Stoltz (RSA)

Who wasn't elected: Nelly Becerra (MEX), Monika Birk (GER), Manuela Ianesi (ITA). (Note: An 11th candidate, Katherine Williams (IRE), withdrew before the election).

• CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE:
Which five were elected: Patrice Brunet (CAN), Mina Guli (AUS), Graeme Kempson (GBR), Steve Locke (USA), Tom Pryde (NZL), Ola Silvdahl (SWE).

Who wasn't elected: Dieter Bremer (GER), Jozef Jurasek (SLO), Ray Preston (COK), Walter Zetting (AUT).

• CREDENTIALS COMMITTEE:
Which three were elected: Mike Highfield (USA), Sheila O'Kelly (CAN), Gerardo Zetina (MEX).

Who wasn't elected: Robert Maasdijk (NED), Henning Mueller (GER).

• DUATHLON COMMITTEE:
Which three were elected: Jose Garza (MEX), John Raadchelders (NED), Stefan Ruf (SUI).

Who wasn't elected: Hubert Koenig (AUT), Eric Schwartz (USA), Marco Zaffaroni (ITA).

• AUDIT COMMITTEE:
Which three were elected (for a one-year term): Bill Hallett (CAN), Jonathan Grinder (USA), Bob Welsh (GBR).

Who wasn't elected: Dragana Kamenica (YUG).

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McDonald wins again - but his methods are questioned

April 27, Perth, Australia (www.slowtwitch.com):

ITU president Les McDonald won his biggest election battle ever Thursday, but not before a police report was filed and 13 delegates were barred from entering the Congress hall and voting.

McDonald defeated Austria’s Erika Koenig-Zenz, the secretary general of the European Triathlon Union, by a vote of 36-20. Triathlon Digest had earlier reported a slightly different -- and incorrect -- vote count, due in part to the inability of Digest publisher Katherine Williams to attend the procedings, as she was refused media accreditation -- and therefore direct access -- to cover the ITU Congress and World Championships this week.

McDonald pulled out the win in the face of a European-led opposition campaign that called for fairness, openness, accountability and democracy. For now, after the election, the ITU faces further charges by the Euro camp: Not only does the ITU seem non-democratic in its conduct of Congresses, they say, but perhaps even anti-democratic.

The vote for president was held by secret ballot. But participants in the process agree that McDonald’s support ultimately came from Trinidad and Tobago, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Switzerland, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, Greece, Russia, Hungary, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, Taiwan, South Korea, the Philippines, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia and 10 other countries. But not before a most chaotic start to the Congress.

It was delayed for one hour when an emergency Executive Board meeting was held, reportedly to discuss who would - and who would not - have access to Congress. Sixty-nine countries had registered for the Congress on Wednesday, displaying their paperwork and credentials. But police were called to the hotel that evening by the officials working the credentials process -- Henning Mueller, Robert Maasdijk and Martin Engelhardt -- who apparently felt they might be nearing physical harm by an irate McDonald.

By morning, McDonald was still on the attack as the emergency executive board meeting turned into a shouting match. When the doors to Congress did open, 13 countries were turned out.

They weren’t the only ones who met with security guards blocking he entrance to the Terrace Ballroom at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. No press were allowed access to the meeting because, according to one ITU official, “The media has never had access to ITU Congress.”

Additionally, a press photographer was escorted from a public area when he attempted to take pictures of one of "The Perth 13" -- David Rudd, the delegate for Venezuela -- as his path into the Congress hall was barred. An ITU official manning the door then instructed the security guards to prevent the photographer from taking pictures of the barred delegates -- even as they discussed their situation with other representatives as they lined up to enter the Congress.

Rudd had been at the center of McDonald’s unseemly row on Wednesday. When McDonald saw that accreditation officials had provided Rudd with his credentials, he set into the angry exchange -- according to observers -- that resulted in the police report. After his entrance to the meeting was blocked Thursday morning, Rudd was asked if he was given a reason for his exclusion. “No,” he told one reporter. “The only reason is because I intended to vote against Les McDonald.”

Among those also excluded include Krysztof Piatkowski, the president of the Polish triathlon federation, and one of the early candidates for the ITU presidency. There were initially five challengers for McDonald’s position, but once in Congress, all but Koenig-Zenz dropped out, one by one.

Others whose entrance was barred were Sharon Robson, representing Netherlands Antilles; Urmo Raiend (Estonia), Frank Stapleton (Ireland), and representatives of Ecuador, the Dominican Republic and Peru.

It was pointed out that the delegates from Netherlands Antilles, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic and Peru were actually Australians. Each of them carried paperwork from their countries’ national federations and National Olympic Committees designating them as their representatives.

The woman who represented Trinidad and Tobago was also an Australian; however, she was allowed entry to Congress and cast her vote for McDonald.

Previous to this Congress, there was nothing in the ITU Constitution that prevented delegates living in one country from representing another country at an ITU Congress. In fact, that is how Mark Sisson, now the ITU’s general secretary, gained the elected position of treasurer in 1996. At a time when he was at odds with his own federation (USA), he represented Mexico after McDonald himself orchestrated Sisson’s new affiliation with Mexico, according to ex-ITU managing director Michael Gilmore.

Nonetheless, all the country-switching should stop now, as the Executive Board’s proposal passed that national representatives at Congress must be of the same nationality as the country or territory that they represent.

The votes have been cast, McDonald has won the election, but there are likely to be continued challenges to its propriety.

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ITU wants Scotland to stand on its own

April 26, Perth, Australia (www.slowtwitch.com):

The ITU had plans to extend full federation membership to the Scottish Triathlon Association at Thursday’s Congress -- but such a move seems contrary to the ITU’s own constitution.

The Scottish federation is somewhat independent of the umbrella British Triathlon Association, which itself operates within the British Olympic Association. But even high-level BTA officials didn’t learn about the Scots’ intentions to join the ITU until they arrived in Perth for the World Championships.

Late last week, ITU secretary general Mark Sisson confirmed that Scotland was being brought on board as a full member: It appears that Alastair Paterson, the Scottish federation president since November, has been quietly arranging for ITU membership in concert with ITU president Les McDonald.

But any attempt to actually validate that “membership” will likely be stopped short this week by the ITU Credentials Committee -- because the Scottish Triathlon Association does not have the support for such a move by its own National Olympic Committee, the BOA.

Privately, some of the British triathlon leaders in Perth expressed surprise at the boldness of the Scots. Publicly they said nothing, because they are not sure themselves exactly what is going on.

Sisson, however, contends that someone within the BTA certainly knew all about this very pronounced peel-off of the Scots: “It was only with their endorsement that it happened,” Sisson said.

The rules of the ITU provide that if there is to be a division of territory involving an existing member, then the existing member -- in this case the BTA -- should agree to it. Exactly whom within the BTA gave the “authority” -- apparently without informing anyone else in the BTA -- is unclear, however.

There was a meeting last November among the three groups that together represent Great Britain in triathlon: the British Triathlon Association, the Welsh Triathlon Association and the Scottish Triathlon Association. There, it was agreed that Wales and Scotland could assert a bit more ‘nationalism’ within the GBR structure.

That is, it was determined that all Championships -- European, Worlds and the Olympics -- would be raced as Great Britain, but that Scotland, Wales and England emblems could be added to the Great Britain race kit. Further, all other races other than championships could be raced as any of the individual countries or clubs.

Toward that, Scottish athletes are planning to race some European Triathlon Cup races this season as part of the Scottish development plan for the 2002 Commonwealth Games. No doubt they will wear Scottish kit for the upcoming races.

But just whose idea it was for Scotland to break away in full; who in the BTA may have given what the ITU accepted -- and didn’t question further -- as approval; and exactly how full membership could actually happen, short of the BOA giving its blessing on the separation; are all questions that are yet to be answered.

There could have been an easier way for Scotland to explore a graceful exit from beneath the BTA, if that's what the Scottish executives truly want. STA president Paterson, who works in Glasgow's city center, could have simply arranged a lunch date to discuss such matters with Craig Reedie, the chair of the British Olympic Association and a IOC member -- whose office just also happens to be in Glasgow's city centre.

Now, Mr. Paterson has quite a bit of explaining to do -- to Scots and Brits both.

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ITU electoral peril in Perth

April 26, Perth, Australia (www.slowtwitch.com):

Les McDonald, ITU President, would have all the world’s triathlon federations believe that all is well in the sport. “No changes necessary” has been his election platform in Perth, where on Thursday, quadrennial elections are conducted at the ITU Congress.

But clearly not all is well: That there are five opposition candidates for the ITU’s lead position suggests that there is unrest with the body. A call for change has never resonated louder.

McDonald, the Canadian who has been the ITU’s only elected leader in its 11 years, is credited with bringing the sport to the doorstep of the Olympics. But suddenly, triathlon’s Olympic inclusion beyond its status as the opening event on Sept. 16-17 is a sore point for all sides. McDonald says triathlon won’t be in the Olympics in 2004, without him as president. His opposition says that triathlon won’t be on the 2004 schedule if McDonald remains as president.

Never has McDonald faced more of a challenge. At the Cleveland Congress in 1996, there was a lone candidate running against him. USA Triathlon’s Steve Locke lost by a 55-5 vote, but conceded afterward that he and USAT never expected to win; that Locke was running more in the interest of bringing some awareness to the issues that troubled triathlon.

Now, however, the candidates putting the pressure on McDonald are totally serious. The five who are running, and their reasons:

• Colombia’s Jorge Mejia, president of the South American-strong PATCO regional organization. He doesn’t care for how South- and Central-American interests in the sport have been slighted, especially in light of the IOC’s premise of universality.

• Poland’s Krzysztof Piatkowski, president of the Polish federation. He believes that the current ITU management is “not able to lead the triathlon family to a successful Olympic Games in Athens.”

• The Cook Islands’ Ray Preston, president of his federation. He would like the ITU to operate via democratic principles, open accountability (financial and managerial), teamwork and promotion of the sport from grass-root levels.

• France’s Didier Lehénaff, president of the European Triathlon Union. He would favor an ITU that would “communicate with all, and in all languages, restore (triathlon’s) image and credibility and establish true professional (administrative and marketing) bases for a long-term controlled development.”

• Austria’s Erika Koenig-Zenz, secretary general of the ETU. Perhaps the darkhorse of the election, she declares: “Without major changes, we will not move forward, and I doubt if we will survive as an Olympic sport. We have lost too many good workers, too many top-class races and too many supporters. We are actually actively destroying our sport.”

The candidates have no shortage of charges and reasons why one of them should replace McDonald. The general perception is that the election for president will not be a landslide this time, that McDonald indeed has his hands full in fending off his detractors.

But his undoing so far has not been the politically charged breezes in advance of any election. Damage to his own stature is more likely rooted in an article published a few weeks ago in Sport Intern, a biweekly newsletter out of Germany that is required reading for international federations and sports sponsors and decision-makers at the highest levels.

The March 31 issue of Sport Intern, published in English out of Munich, made McDonald its lead story and front-page news. The headline reads: “Triathlon world president Les McDonald is facing a storm.”

The article referred to McDonald as an “individualistic Canadian” who is facing extreme opposition, especially in Europe, to his presidency.

Points of contention include, according to Sport Intern, charges of financial mismanagement within ITU to the point of near-bankruptcy. The opposition candidates suggest, for example, that the 1999 World Championships in Montreal resulted in a loss of US$200,000 to the ITU, and that the ITU is “practically living on the advances paid by the IOC from the TV and sponsorship money for the 2000 Games in Sydney.”

Further, the ITU is facing 2001, post-Sydney, as a season without sponsors (aside from global suppliers Zoot Sports and Polar). The ITU has lost major sponsors in Coca-Cola, Reebok and Lufthansa, as well as Team, API and PSE as marketing agencies, in the last few years. Credit Suisse remains its only major sponsor, but its contract ends this year.

A combination of charges, including “falsification of the ITU Constitution and Congress minutes,” has actually resulted in a lawsuit that the ETU lodged against McDonald earlier this week.

Clearly, there is trouble at the top of the sport. Change in the leadership -- or not -- will come down to a vote by secret ballot -- just hours away.

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ITU denies media credentials -- again

April 25, Perth, Australia (www.slowtwitch.com):

ITU President Les McDonald has turned down a request from Katherine Williams, publisher of the Triathlon Digest, for media credentials to cover this week's ITU World Championships in Perth.

It is the second time in two occasions that McDonald has denied credentials to Williams. He did the same thing when the Worlds were in Lausanne in 1998. However, he did approve her credentials for the 1996 Worlds in Cleveland -- six months before she started publication of the Digest, delivered daily by email to a worldwide audience of more than 1,000 key individuals involved with the sport.

McDonald himself did not deliver the message, sending it via Simon Beaumont, the media manager for the event. In 1998, he had Michael Gilmore, then the ITU secretary general, tell her of his decision -- with the added caveat, "You better not show up at any of the press conferences!"

In Beaumont's advisory on Sunday, he wrote: "Thank-you for your application for media accreditation at the Qantas 2000 ITU Triathlon World Championships. We advise your application was not successful at this time."

"Please understand that the governing body of triathlon, the International Triathlon Union, is responsible for approving all media accreditation for this event.

"Should you have any enquiries please contact Ms. Loreen Barnett of the ITU at (mailto:ituhdq@home.com)."

Ms. Barnett, who manages the ITU office in Vancouver, Canada, has not yet provided a reason for the denial -- 48 hours after Williams asked her for an explanation on Monday.

Williams did get the support earlier this week of USAT executive director Steve Locke. He said: "Not knowing the circumstances of the denial, I would still encourage ITU to reconsider a credential, as the Digest is a valuable communication tool for the people of the sport."

Les McDonald, apparently, thinks not.

To see what the fuss is all about, read Triathlon Digest's archives.

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IOC Further distances itself from rogue "source" remarks

April 24, Vista, California (www.slowtwitch.com):

As fast as the one or two unnamed IOC "high-level sources" spread their Elect-Les-Or-Die message, the IOC higher-ups pour cold water on it. Two more IOC members, one of them arguably the most powerful, pooh-poohed the idea that the IOC cares one way or the other about who member federations elect as their sport's president.

In rebuttal to a scathing article about Les McDonald which appeared in the influential Olympic insider newsletter Sport Intern, two essentially identical stories have appeared on different sides of the planet. First, the Sydney Morning Herald carried a story co-written by its Lausanne-based reporter Jacquelin Magnay. Then, Erskine McCullough, a reporter for Agence France Presse (a news service) printed more or less the same story, quoting apparently the same Olympic sources. Both journalists claimed to have spoken to one or two Olympic "sources," who say they intend to vote for triathlon's expulsion from the Olympics if McDonald is not re-elected to the ITU's presidency.

But the IOC answered back. In an interview between Triathlonlive and Anita DeFrantz, the powerful Vice-President of that organization, DeFrantz said, "The IOC does not interfere with the internal matters of International Federations," and was direct in her statements, that both she -- and the IOC as a group -- did not show any bias with regard to whom triathlon elects to be its president for the next four years. Her quotes mirror those made late last week by one of the other two American IOC members, Jim Easton.

Triathlonlive also spoke with IOC member and former world-class half miler Charmaine Crooks from Canada, who said, "Really, what matters is how the athletes are impacted, what it means for them, that's what is important to me... But in my few years spent [in Olympic Governance] this is not my impression of the way this body operates. My impression is that the IOC does not interfere or take a position with regard to the [internal governance of a sport]."

With the election of this sport's president only days away it will soon become apparent whether the ETU's hardball political first-strike, nudging along the Sport Intern article -- or McDonald's wielding of his now infamous, but still anonymous, IOC sources as a counter-strike -- will have the bigger effect on the voting audience.

Recently ousted ITU executive Mike Gilmore, a longtime spectator of the political process in both triathlon and the Olympics, said in an interview with Triathlonlive's editor Katherine Williams (to be printed in these pages tomorrow), "This is just a game of politics.....The threat of lawsuits by ETU is no different than any other tool used by candidates wishing to gather votes. Helping media get a hot story is the same, in either Sport Intern or the Sydney Morning Herald."

His assessment appears to make sense. Perhaps the word has gone out from the IOC to its members, telling them to "shut up." Or, perhaps, try as he might, Erskine McCullough, reporting several days after the Herald printed its story, could not drum up any more than the same one or two activist McDonald supporters. Gilmore says, on the Herald story, "The impact on Les will be stabilization of votes which he may have lost" [from the fallout of the Sport Intern article].

The Sydney Morning Herald may also be feeling some backlash to the article it published last week. Today's edition featured a story highlighting the opposition's view on things, quoting presidential candidate Erika Koenig-Zenz, "The IOC would never say anything officially. As we say in Europe, you have to smell what is going on. What is clear is that the IOC wants an international federation that is united and strong and principled - and that is what everyone wants."

(RELATED STORY)

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Secretary General candidates: Dr. Martin Engelhardt responds

April 22, Perth, Australia (www.slowtwitch.com):

The two men competing for the position of ITU Secretary General, incumbent Mark Sisson and challenger Dr. Martin Engelhardt, to answer the same set of questions about their candidacies for Thursday’s quadrennial elections at the ITU Congress in Perth. Here is the response of Engelhardt:

Name: Dr. Martin Engelhardt
Age: 40
Residence: Hanau, Germany (near Frankfurt)
Profession: Orthopaedist and outside lecturer; Senior physician in charge at the University hospital in Frankfurt
Triathlon involvement: Triathlete from 1985-1987; President of the German Triathlon Union (DTU) since 1987; member of the ITU Executive Board since 1996; Organizer of an annual triathlon symposium since 1986; author of several books on triathlon.

Question 1: How do you view the Secretary General's role in working alongside the ITU President? Alongside the ITU Executive Board? Alongside the member federations?

Engelhardt: The Secretary General has to work together with the president and all Executive Board members, as a team, in the best way for member federations and athletes.

The Secretary General should first of all build a professional headquarters, with highly qualified and multi-lingual staff. The headquarters ought to be a top-class service station for member federations, athletes, media, sponsors and all members of the big sports family. Out of the headquarters, an efficient work to safe-guard the interests of the whole triathlon family is important.
Therefore, the ITU headquarters should be based in close proximity to the IOC headquarters.

Question 2: What are the most problematic areas for the ITU just now, and what strategy would you recommend to fix them?

Engelhardt: The main problems of the present ITU management are
* missing credibility
* unprofessional way of working
* financial mismanagement

Together with a team of highly motivated, highly competent and highly credible people, I aim at translating a 10-point program -- a positive "anti-Les McDonald management program" -- into action:

1- Trust
- establishing of trust into the future of triathlon
- emphasis on co-operation and teamwork between the officers and National Federations, with sponsors, media and athletes
- create a positive climate of mutual motivation to reach the
common goals
- include and activate creative people for our sport

2- Communication
- information for all people interested in triathlon
- open discussion with regard to the future of the sport and
inclusion of public opinion before decisions are taken
- multi-lingual communication (English, French, Spanish, Russian, German)
- work and extension of the triathlon database

3- Education
- promotion of training and further education for the following areas
* athletes (men/women/kids)
* coaches
* organisers
* marshals
* research
* administration

4- Headquarters
- establish a professional headquarters close to IOC structures and headquarters

5- Development
- special development programs for poorer countries and regions

6- Sponsors
- professional approach and co-operation with sponsors and
marketing agencies. Be as good as one's handshake with regard to contracts.

7- Media
- professional co-operation with media
- work together with sponsors on a specific media concept to
increase the TV presence
- establish attractive events

8- Events
- aim and secure the high quality of events
- promotion of other concepts, too -- long distance triathlon, duathlon, winter triathlon, aquathlon, indoor triathlon
- co-operation with professional organising teams
- receptiveness to new concepts

9- Sport
- receptiveness for athletes needs and ideas in the future
development of the sport
- inception of an annual calendar conference
- establishing of a new and just Olympic qualification system for 2004
- fight for a drug-free sport
- lobbying for winter triathlon as future Olympic sport

10- Olympic status
- better representation towards the IOC
- participation in commissions of IOC
- work with the Greek Federation and ETU on establishing of a
professional organising team for the Olympic Games 2004
- to play a part with our capabilities (science, art, media)

Question 3: Do you perceive there is any single "power-base" in triathlon, in geographic and/or leadership terms? Is this positive or negative for the sport?
If this power-base exists, and it shifts, is that a positive or a negative (and why)?

Engelhardt: In some of our countries in the world we have already
professional working structures as power-bases. Also, the headquarters of ETU is such a power-base. Such institutions are very positive, and they give our sport new impetus. These service stations will help grow our sport, and they will help to set up a similar facilities in other areas of our world.

What we have to see with regard to ITU is, that it is of utmost importance to build its power-base in Europe. Not because of a power-shift, but simply because all major and main sports structures are based here. IOC has its headquarters in Lausanne, GAISF has its seat in Monaco, ASOIF is here, 16 International
Federations are based in Lausanne and Switzerland. Main sports like IAAF are based in Monaco.

The closer the sport of triathlon is to these structures, the better it is for the development. All NFs who have their seat in the same building as their NOC and their "house of sports" will agree that it is of invaluable advantage for triathlon to be on pulse of the happenings.

It will give triathlon an enormous impetus to be "involved" and will boost the development.

Question 4: What can triathlon-member federations (NFs) be doing better, to help create a smoother, more cohesive ITU?

Engelhardt: The National Federations have to work together and to help each other. We have to orientate ourselves together to work on the above mentioned aims. The NFs **are** ITU, not the President and some elected officers. Only when NFs are willing and allowed to contribute, ITU will move forward. Together we
are strong!

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Secretary General candidates: Mark Sisson responds

April 22, Perth, Australia (www.slowtwitch.com):

The two men competing for the position of ITU Secretary General, incumbent Mark Sisson and challenger Dr. Martin Engelhardt, to answer the same set of questions about their candidacies for Thursday’s quadrennial elections at the ITU Congress in Perth. Here is the response of Sisson:

Name: Mark Sisson
Residence: Malibu, California, USA
Age: 46
Profession: Nutrition supplement manufacturer
Triathlon involvement: Top triathlete in the early years (4th at Ironman Hawaii 1982). Authored The Runner's World Triathlon Training Book in 1983, Training and Racing Biathlons in 1989; coached Pioneer Triathlon Team 1987-89; Executive Director TriFed USA 1989-91; Founding member ITU 1989; Chairman ITU Anti-Doping Commission since its inception, wrote ITU Anti-Doping Rules;
Treasurer ITU 1994-99; currently, acting Secretary General, ITU.

Question 1: How do you view the Secretary General's role in working alongside the ITU President?

Sisson: The way ITU is set up, the table officers are charged with actually carrying out the business of ITU on behalf of the Congress and on behalf of the entire executive board. In that respect, the secretary general acts as a Chief Operating Officer, while the President is the Chief Executive. Historically, major operational or policy decisions are made by the entire executive board but the business implications of those decisions are "carried out" by the volunteer table officers, among which is Secretary General. As secretary general, I am, and have been involved in, all critical business decisions and have always been in close, almost daily, communication with the president.

(Question 1-a: Alongside the ITU Executive Board?)

Again, Secretary General acts on behalf of the entire ITU Executive, not as an employee, but as an equal charged with actually helping to carry out the decisions and policies decided by the Board and/or Congress. As in any volunteer organization, a very few people actually bear the burden of the enormous work load created by being an Olympic IF. I'm not complaining ... that's just the way every IF works.

(Question 1-b: Alongside the member federations?)

We don't work alongside them as much as we work "for" them. It is, after all, only for the NFs that ITU was created and exists as a means of promoting Triathlon in their countries and worldwide. While some federations may have different ideas of what ITU should do, the vast majority of NFs collectively endorse what the ITU exec is doing on their behalf. I would presume that includes what the secretary general does on their behalf.

Question 2: What are the most problematic areas for the ITU just now, and what strategy would you recommend to fix them?

Sisson: The problematic areas have never changed. They all revolve around funding and television exposure ... and both are inextricably linked ... you can't have one without the other. We have a sport that has captured the imagination of many around the word, but is still not in the "big leagues" where it can command tens of millions of dollars in sponsorship or television revenue. We firmly believe that it CAN, and are working towards that goal, but it has not happened yet to our satisfaction. The recent agreement in principal with Sportsworld (marketing and television)
is contemplated to improve and accelerate that process. Otherwise, contrary to what one or two candidates for office are saying, there really are no "problems" with triathlon. We are a very healthy sport and healthy IF.

Question 3: Do you perceive there is any single "power-base" in triathlon, in geographic and/or leadership terms?

Sisson: Yes, the power base is and has been generally with North America, Oceania and Asia.

(Question 3-a): Is this positive or negative for the sport?

It's a positive from the perspective of the athletes, since a plurality of elites and over half the age-groupers at any given world championship come from those regions. You've heard it said that ITU Executive Board members serve without passport, that they serve the interest of the sport at large. But there is also the reality that the best interest of the sport is to have the largest number of the best athletes at every event. It is bordering on ridiculous to see people running for ITU office who attend Congress annually on government funding and send very few or NO ATHLETES to either the race or the congress as delegates. The sport is about the athletes, after all. A true democracy will represent the interests of the majority, which should certainly include the athletes within that majority.

That said, you'll note that ITU also has strict requirements on maximum number from any one region, as well as requiring every region to be represented (that other precept of democracy - that the minority voice always be heard).

(Question 3-b): If this power-base exists, and it shifts, is that a positive or a negative (and why)?

Probably a negative. The power base should, in my own opinion,
probably be with the countries or regions who participate most in ITU events and in the regular politics of ITU. It's almost a cliche that the representatives from the countries with the most athletes attending ITU events (and, therefore, with the most at stake if ITU falters) do the most work. There are members of the Executive Board running for office this term who have contributed little or nothing concrete to ITU over the past five or 10 years. These are people who could have made valuable contributions many times at numerous E-Board meetings, but sat silent and agreed with the consensus (only to grouse about it later) ... and perform zero ITU work during the many months between meetings. I shudder to think how they might handle the volunteer work-load if elected.

Question 4: What can triathlon-member federations (NFs) be doing better, to help create a smoother, more cohesive ITU?

Sisson: Most NFs are fully behind the ITU executive's efforts. NFs could best help by supporting international points events and/or World Cup events in their countries financially as well as funding their athletes to attend other ITU-related events.

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Sydney Morning Herald story causes flap

April 20, Sydney, Australia (www.slowtwitch.com):

Early this morning a startling piece ran in both the paper and online editions of the Sydney Morning Herald, entitled Triathlon faces end of road. In the article reporters Jacquelin Magnay, stationed in Lausanne covering the IOC, and Louise Evans, longtime Herald beat reporter covering triathlon, stated that "High-level International Olympic Committee sources" say that "If McDonald is ousted... then there is no place for the sport on the Olympic program."

Triathlonlive has attempted to verify this report by contacting every IOC member in Canada and the USA. The most prominent such member, IOC Vice President Anita DeFrantz, was traveling abroad on IOC business, but was reached on the road by her staff . She promised to study the article and discuss the matter with Triathlonlive upon her return on Monday. She did, however, stress that no such sentiments reported by the Herald came from her.

New IOC member Bob Ctvrtlik was traveling in Monaco and will return tomorrow, and Canadian members Carol Ann Letheren and Charmaine Crooks have not yet responded.

American IOC member Jim Easton spoke with Triathlonlive and said, ""I have doubts as to whether this person quoted as a source is really an IOC member. A member would not speak in this way. It is against the policy of the IOC to interfere with internal matters of International Federations, just as it is against the policy of IFs to interfere with their NFs.

"Besides, this is not the process anyway. A sport is evaluated by the Program Commission, and then it goes to the Executive Board of the IOC. If it ever does come up to a vote of the general membership it has already been [thoroughly evaluated by these other subgroups, where the decisions are made]. Also, a change of presidents is not anything that causes a sport to be tossed out of the Games. IFs change presidents all the time."

The story appeared--for a publication as august as the Herald--uncharacteristically thin on back-up. While the implications of the story are immense--with the presidential vote taking place in Australia, and just days away--it appears the sole sources the reporters relied upon were one IOC "source" who refused to allow publication of his or her name, and McDonald himself. While the article implies the source is an IOC member, the story appears to artfully avoid calling the source an IOC "member," lending credence to the view held by Easton that the source was not likely a voting member at all.

While the Sydney Morning Herald had a skeleton crew working today due to the Good Friday holiday, chief of staff Stephanie Raethel did speak with us. We asked: if the IOC membership feels--as a group--this strongly, why can't the Herald's reporters find anyone from the IOC who is willing to go on the record? Is the "source" an IOC member or not? And if so, can the reporters verify whether there other members who feel this same way? Raethel promised to interview the paper's two reporters herself and check issues surrounding the story. She also indicated a reply to Triathlonlive will be forthcoming.--DE

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The ITU Presidential Candidates: Didier Lehenaff

April 13, Vista, California, USA (www.slowtwitch.com):

Five of the six candidates for the ITU presidency -- everyone but incumbent Les McDonald -- have responded to questions from Katherine Williams. Their answers provide some insight into why five other people are challenging McDonald for his position at the ITU elections on April 27 in Perth.

Here are the responses from the fourth candidate, Didier Lehénaff, one of three challengers out of Europe:

Name: Didier Lehénaff
Residence: Paris, France
Age: 40
Profession: PE teacher (1982-1991), Researcher and Congress organizer at INSEP (French Olympic Campus) in Paris (since 1991) Triathlon involvement:

• triathlete (regional and national) 1985-1990
• coach 1985- 1990 and 1996-1997
• organiser, including the Dakar International Triathlon 1989; Nice Long-Distance World Championships 1994 and Bercy Indoors Triathlon 1994
• ETU and ITU Technical Delegate and Referee 1987-1994
• ETU Executive Board since 1991, ETU Vice President in 1994 and ETU President since 1995
• ITU Executive Board since 1992, ITU General Secretary 1993-1994, ITU Vice President pro tem since 1996
• author of "Votre sport - le triathlon" (1998 4th edition) and "Regard d'experts sur le triathlon" (under press)
• researcher (since 1991) at the laboratory of biomechanics and physiology of INSEP with specific focus on * the energy cost of triathlon, * the swim-bike and bike-run transitions, * multi-transition training
• organiser of international triathlon congresses in 1994, 1998 and 2001 (be ready for it!)

Question 1): Why are you pursuing the presidency of ITU?

Lehénaff: I am not, as a person, pursuing the presidency of ITU. I am wishing the better for the ITU, and because the present ITU management does not fulfill our aspirations anymore, I wish to bring my contribution for radical moves, based on consensus, democracy, co-operation, communication. I'd be much honoured to lead this way, but I'd be equally happy to help out in a new team sharing my objectives.

Question 2): What would you give priority to in your first year as ITU president? Further along in your presidency?

Lehénaff: We need to change our image, which has been badly tarnished these past years because wrong decisions were made, wrong directions taken and a number of key supporters lost.

We need to communicate with all, and in all languages, to restore the image and credibility and to establish true professional (administrative and marketing) bases for a long-term controlled development.

And of course: succeed in Sydney, before all! And then build with the Greek Triathlon Federation and the European Triathlon Union a world-class race in Athens as early as 2001.

Question 3): On the Olympics: Looking toward 2004 Athens, would you make changes (and how) in the ITU's leadup to the Olympics? Please comment on the current situation of Olympic qualifying, and how it is working with universality in mind.

Lehénaff: When ITU current leadership worked on the ranking and qualifying procedures concept for the Worlds and for the Games, they were driven by only ONE priority: to control the "property." This led to the present unacceptable four-year system, disrespectful of NFs' limited budgets and athletes' training, recovery, careers, health. We are talking also here of our international calendar of events, that needs to be fully revised, in order to include the established races and series existing on each continent. Let's stop the political intrigue and give priority to the well-organized races where safety is no longer an issue, where athletes are well-treated, where prize-money is as real as the valuable ITU points.

Question 4): On Drugs: Is there a problem in our sport? How can this be minimized?

Lehénaff: Drugs is a problem in sport, not just in triathlon. But today triathlon is more exposed to it because there is money and media exposure involved, because many can make their livings off triathlon. ITU should have an immense role to play in this issue. At least to offer training and racing conditions set to minimize the development of drugs in our sport. We are back to the calendar issue here.

Training/racing is all about cycles, about balance, about recovery. You can't race 12 months a year without paying for it, cash. With unbalanced calendars, we are laying the foundations for injuries and doping.

Question 5): On Sponsorship and Television: Would you change how these areas are being handled, and how/why?

Lehénaff: My global analysis is that the current ITU leader wished for too much too quickly.

Although he likes to underline (and we agree on this statement) that triathlon is only a "major minor sport," he decided to play the "big game" ... being sensitive to politics and finances, mainly. The present failure is linked to the lack of the necessary structure, personnel, maturity and professionalism to face the enormous workload and obligations connected to our somehow artificially-built rank in the world of sport. So back to the basics: work hard to restore a quality relationship inside our family, build a more positive image (no more "affairs") that will stimulate potential partnership, in a moment when it is cruelly missing.

Question 6): On Development and Universality: Is this an area you would promote, how and why?

Lehénaff: While it is clear that the Olympic-distance triathlon has to remain a priority for ITU, we must not restrict our perspectives. This is where the ETU is extremely successful, opening our minds and arms to education and development, to cooperation with other regions, to exchange programs and support. There is no growth without universal development.

Question 7): Any additional comments on your candidacy?

Lehénaff: I am not interested in the ITU presidency if it is not involved in a global process. This was also my pre-condition to become ETU president, and what has since been achieved in ETU can also be achieved in ITU. It involves a consistent group of hard workers all moved by the same desire to support the cause of triathlon, not individual interests. We can achieve the same kinds of things within ITU. But not with the current president.

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The ITU Presidential Candidates: Erika Koenig-Zenz

April 13, Perth, Australia (www.slowtwitch.com):

Five of the six candidates for the ITU presidency -- everyone but incumbent Les McDonald -- have responded to questions from Katherine Williams. Their answers provide some insight into why five other people are challenging McDonald for his position at the ITU Congress and elections on April 27 in Perth.

Here are the responses from the fifth and last of the candidates to respond, Erika Koenig-Zenz:

Name: Erika Koenig-Zenz
Residence: Graz, Austria
Age: 36
Profession: Administrator

Triathlon involvement: Involved with triathlon since 1994 -- first via the ETU's Women's Committee, then (1995) as ETU Executive Board member. Responsibilities included the creation of the European Duathlon Cup series, the creation of the European Winter Triathlon Cup series, education programs, Eurokids initiatives with the Education Committee. Involved with the technical committee and liaison officer. Responsible for design, content and production of the ETU publications. Since 1997, working full-time for triathlon as secretary general/general manager of the European Triathlon Union.

Personal background in sports: Athletics, middle-distance runner
(400-800-1500-3000m) on international level. Ten years as media officer of the regional track and field federation in Austria.

Question 1): Why are you pursuing the presidency of ITU?

Koenig-Zenz: Several reasons:

• Because the federation has to become a professional, dynamic, modern, democratic face;
• Because decisions have to be open and transparent - not made known via press release, even for most of the executive-board (EB) members (!);
• Because we have lost Coca Cola, Reebok and Lufthansa as sponsors of ITU, as well as Team, API and PSE as marketing agencies. This is not too positive a resume for a 11-year-old federation.

The ITU has used money expected to come in from TV revenues from the Olympic Games in Sydney to buy-back the marketing rights from PSE -- for US$2.75 million -- in 1998. This money is lost for ITU and its federations, and lost to prepare the next Olympic cycle. When asking federations of other sports, one will discover that they have their IF give them their share from this TV money.

Without major changes, we will not move forward, and I doubt if we will survive as an Olympic sport. We have lost too many good workers, too many top-class races and too many supporters, and are actually actively destroying our sport. This by political only instead of sportive decisions, unbalanced calendars, unjust qualification systems, too high financial burdens on the NFs, the neglecting to care for other sports and segments of our sports.

If your federation wins a medal at the Olympic Games, are you prepared if 100 kids want to start with triathlon the next day? Do you have the facilities, pools, coaches, projects, events, etc., in place? How do we look, with regard to duathlon? Two years ago, the ITU Powerman Series had US$90,000 in overall prize money - but what has happened to the Duathlon Long Distance Worlds? What about Zofingen? The ITU Winter Triathlon Cup had lower participation than any European Winter Cup. Where are youth, education and development projects and programs, etc.?

Question 2): What would you give priority to in your first year as ITU president? Further along in your presidency?

Koenig-Zenz: The first priority is, of course, the care for the Olympic status of triathlon. Involved with all this is complete support for a marvellous event in Sydney, and with the tail-wind of this event, the preparation of Athens 2004. This support would be on a political level, as well as on technical and organisational levels, with both the Greek Federation and ETU. A major race will have to be organised in Greece -- at
the latest in 2001.

Further priorities -- and they will need to be performed in parallel -- is the work in the fields:

• unity and democracy
• credibility and image

These will occur with all the sub-topics, like professionalism in all areas, education and development, communication and harmonisation of calendars.

Question 3): On the Olympics: Looking toward 2004 Athens, would you make changes (and how) in the ITU's leadup to the Olympics? Please comment on the current situation of Olympic qualifying, and how it is working with universality in mind.

Koenig-Zenz: The Olympic qualification system needs a complete change. Not only is our present system absolutely "unique" in the sports world, the recent "hiccups" and all the permanent changes since the first presentation also show clearly the general problems of such a system.

Instead of giving the Federations and athletes the time to build and prepare in the first half of the Olympic cycle, and THEN enter into the qualification (which would cover only the last one to one-and-a-half years before 2004), we have a system that provides presently for four seasons for the southern hemisphere and three (and 1/2) seasons for the northern hemisphere to qualify. It's a system that requires enormous financial resources from the NFs. It's a system that provides enormous stress for NFs and athletes and, at the end of the day, also promotes health risks.

The system now reveals heavy disadvantages for European and American athletes, as the points for the Regions have not been considered in the overall picture. Which is not so surprising when following the history: In the beginning, the 5 Regional Championships 1999 would give a slot for the Olympic Games. Over the time this changed so that 3 regions would use their 2000 Championships to award the slots. The region of Asia will be awarded 2 slots. Points came only in 1998, after the buy-back of the rights from PSE. The points were originally the same as for International races, which then changed for 1999 and 2000.

Countries with low financial resources are disadvantaged as it is simply impossible to send the athletes 'round the globe to chase points.

A new system has to be based ...

• on the principle of equal chances for all to qualify, no matter if they or their country is rich or poor;
• on the principle of a just distribution of slots for the NFs, respecting the universality;
• on the principle of a balanced calendar and reasonable time frames.

Question 4): On Drugs: Is there a problem in our sport? How can this be minimized?

Koenig-Zenz: There is (almost) no problem detected. Which is different than saying, "There is a/no problem."

In general, there is only one way to proceed for ITU from the regulations side, which is to follow the IOC Doping rules strictly (and which is done).

If we want to minimize the possibility that doping is used, than we have to work on balanced race calendars, on just qualification systems, and support for our NFs.

Question 5): On Sponsorship and Television: Would you change how these areas are being handled, and how/why?

Koenig-Zenz: An interesting document from Mike Gilmore, dated April 1998 (just after the buy-back of the rights from PSI/PSE), states the following marketing objectives:

For TV:

• in 1998, coverage of all ITU events on cable or satellite, distribution with selected free to air coverage
• in 1999, free to air coverage of all Triathlon World Cup and all World Championship events in the domestic market of each event
• in 2000, free to air coverage of all Triathlon World Cup and all World Championships events in all hosting domestic markets. Live coverage of the Triathlon World Championships

For Sponsorship:

• in 1999, 4 sponsors and
• in 2000, 7 sponsors (hope of up to US$3 million)

Now, we are quite far away of these objectives. Montreal as the 1999 World Championships did not even have one single private sponsor.

ITU has lost Lufthansa, and the only sponsor left -- with the contract expiring end of 2000 -- is Credit Suisse.

In 1997, top athletes competing in World Cups events were granted
"Competitor Travel Sponsorship" and "Developmental Travel Grants". The first, for example, was US$1000 and accommodation for five nights for the top-3 ranked and US$500 and five nights' accommodation for the top-10 ranked athletes. But this was a wonderful support that quickly stopped in 1998.

The financial statement of ITU for 1998, presented to Congress in Montreal, showed an effective minus of US$127,545.

We just recently read about rights-deals that might cut across existing contract -- and maybe legal cases are looming for ITU.

There is one thing clear: The area of sponsorship and television will need a real re-launch, with a complete clarification of responsibilities, new approaches and professionals to take care.

Question 6): On Development and Universality: Is this an area you would promote, how and why?

Koenig-Zenz: Without a universal development of the sport, there will be no real development. The problem is, anyway, that triathlon is quite complicated, which does not make it that easy to grow awareness and to become a mass-participation sport. Just think of football, which can be played simply everywhere in this world, alone or with friends. If there is no ball available, the kids use rags and tin cans. Still, triathlon can be one of the major tools in education. It gives guidance, teaches rules and with the clubs structures (such as in Europe) or college structures, gives a social back-bone for youngsters.

Development and education programs have to have a very high priority!

This also includes the promotion of international contests and exchange programs for youth athletes. We also can have the focus on having our sports become school sports.

Question 7): Any additional comments on your candidacy?

Koenig-Zenz: The most important thing is that people understand the importance of the elections, and travel to Perth for the Congress. A support of the opposition, a moaning about the present ITU management, does not change anything if people do not go there and vote.

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The ITU Presidential Candidates: Ray Preston

April 11, Vista, California, USA (www.slowtwitch.com):

Five of the six candidates for the ITU presidency -- everyone but incumbent Les McDonald -- have responded to questions from Katherine Williams. Their answers provide some insight into why five other people are challenging McDonald for his position at the ITU elections on April 27 in Perth.

Here are the responses from the third candidate, Cook Islands' Ray Preston, the only challenger out of the Oceania region:

Name: Ray Preston
Residence: Rarotonga, Cook Islands
Age: 64
Profession: Engineer
Triathlon involvement: President of Cook Islands Triathlon Association for
four two-year terms.

Question 1: Why are you pursuing the presidency of ITU?

Preston: It's time for change to democratic principles, open accountability (financial and managerial) teamwork and promotion of the sport from grass-root levels.

Question 2: What would you give priority to in your first year as ITU president?

Preston: An overhaul of Olympic-qualifying criteria in the interests of Olympic universality and a review of the ITU Constitution. To pursue the least costly path, with the maximum benefit for Triathlon, with sponsorship, media rights and media coverage.

(Question 2-a: Further along in your presidency?)

Preston: There are many issues to be addressed and these will have to be prioritized.

Question 3: On the Olympics: Looking toward 2004 Athens, would you make changes (and how) in the ITU's leadup to the Olympics? Please comment on the current situation of Olympic qualifying, and how it is working with universality in mind.

Preston: World Cup events, World Championships and ITU points races must be held in Greece, over the next four years. Regional Championships must be calendar-coordinated. Olympic unversality is not applied to Triathlon and NF's which cannot afford opportunities should be assisted to Olympic consideration.

Question 4: On Drugs: Is there a problem in our sport? How can this be minimized?:

Preston: The drug problem is a universal one. We must cooperate with other sports and agencies to maximize efforts to eliminate cheating through use of performance-enhancing and dangerous chemicals.

Question 5: On Sponsorship and Television: Would you change how these areas are being handled, and how/why?

Preston: The areas of sponsorship and television are two of the most troublesome issues that the ITU has. Changes will have to be made and Triathlon will need to convince sponsors of it's viability as a revenue-attractive sport.

Question 6: On Development and Universality: Is this an area you would promote, how and why?

Preston: YES. Universal development is the life of Triathlon and the source of future Olympic inclusion.

Question 7: Any additional comments on your candidacy?

Preston: I do not claim to have all the answers, but there are people out there in the Triathlon world who have answers and they will be consulted. Consultation is not showing weakness, it is showing concern for what others think and taking their concerns into the decision making process.

Does the Triathlon community want a management team that attempts to deal with issues in an equitable manner, or is the current management style the basis of survival on an international scale? The power to change is in your hands.

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The ITU Presidential Candidates: Jorge Mejia

April 10, Vista, California, USA (www.slowtwitch.com):

Five of the six candidates for the ITU presidency -- everyone but incumbent Les McDonald -- have responded to questions from Katherine Williams. Their answers provide some insight into why five other people are challenging McDonald for his position at the ITU elections on April 27 in Perth. On Tuesday, Triathlonlive.com will include responses from the Cook Island’s Ray Preston.

Here are the responses from Colombia's Jorge Mejía, the only candidate from South America:

Name: Jorge Alberto Mejía Muñoz
Residence: Cali, Colombia
Age: 54 years
Profession: Engineer
Triathlon involvement: President of PATCO (Pan American Triathlon
Confederation)

Question 1: Why are you pursuing the presidency of ITU?
Mejía: I would like to be the president to begin a new era for the sport in the world. Also, it's important for triathlon to be included in the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

Question 2: What would you give priority to in your first year as ITU president? Further along in your presidency?
Mejía: To re-unite the triathlon family. We need to hear from athletes, coaches, managers and others, because we have a holistic sport. But we need to be an even greater sport within the Olympic family.

Question 3: On the Olympics: Looking toward 2004 Athens, would you make changes (and how) in the ITU's leadup to the Olympics? Please comment on the current situation of Olympic qualifying, and how it is working with universality in mind.
Mejía: First all, we would like to introduce a new discipline in triathlon -- not just the short-course. Secondly, we would like to show the rest of the sport what triathlon truly is -- a serious
sport, but also a friendly sport for all countries.

Question 4: On Drugs: Is there a problem in our sport? How can this be minimized?
Mejía: I would like to see the development and inclusion of hemoglobin controls before the Olympics.

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The ITU Presidential Candidates: Piatkowski

April 7, Visa, California, USA (www.slowtwitch.com):

Five of the six candidates for the ITU presidency -- everyone but incumbent Les McDonald -- have responded to questions from Katherine Williams. Their answers provide some insight into why five other people are challenging McDonald for his position at the ITU elections on April 27 in Perth.

Here are the responses from Poland's Krzysztof Piatkowski.

Name: Krzysztof Piatkowski
Residence: Warsaw, Poland
Age: 54
Profession: Economist
Triathlon involvement: General Secretary from 1991 and President of Polish Triathlon Union from 1993 until now. Organizer of European Duathlon Championships in 1997 and 1998. Chairman of the European Triathlon Union's Technical Committee since 1998. ETU Executive Board Member since 1999.

Question 1: Why are you pursuing the presidency of ITU?

Piatkowski: Looking at the decisions taken during last two years by ITU leaders, I came to the conclusion that the actual management is not able to lead the triathlon family to a successful Olympic Games in Athens. We can not afford losing the 2004 Olympic opportunity. So after our expected success in Sydney, everything should be done to maintain triathlon's position among Olympic sports.

Question 2: What would you give priority to in your first year as ITU president?

Piatkowski: Several things:

• Building up a real unity within the ITU family, based on a democratic system of work;
• Working very hard to make Sydney a success, as the future of triathlon depends on it;
  
• Starting to negotiate the conditions of ITU debt payment.

(Question: Priorities for further along in your presidency?) Piatkowski:

• Creating a much better image of triathlon. During 1999, ITU events almost disappeared from worldwide media and specialty TV;
• Working out the marketing program for next four years. This would allow for professional management and staff in ITU headquarters; and
• Financing the ITU's development program for areas where NFs and regions need help.

Question 3: On the Olympics: Looking toward 2004 Athens, would you make changes (and how) in the ITU's leadup to the Olympics? Please comment on the current situation of Olympic qualifying, and how it is working with universality in mind.

Piatkowski: The ITU's actual Olympic-qualifying system is very unique compared to other sports. It extends over four years, and it changes a few times each year, and finally, a few weeks before its end, the final decisions are not acceptable to two regions.

As for triathlon as an Olympic sport, the ITU has conducted itself with pure amateurism. I have general feeling that athletes -- who are the heroes of our sport, and who are deserve respect, equal and serious treatment in return for their very hard work and commitment -- have been considered of minor importance by the ITU. Especially during last two years, when few knew when and where new ITU event with ranking points would appear; which events would be canceled; where they could go, how they could plan their training and finances.

For the federations and coaches, too, it was impossible to prepare strategic and detailed programs for the whole season. These constant changes of the system damaged the work of professionals in many countries.

Those federations which could afford to follow the changes had to spend a lot of additional money, but the athletes representing poorer federations just dropped out. It has nothing to do with universality.

My proposals are:

• Each year, a world calendar conference in October/November should take place, so the calendar for next year is ready at the end of November at the latest;
• A new Olympic-qualifying system should be worked out by the end of 2001. It should be one-and-a-half years long, precise and acceptable for all regions, federations, coaches and athletes.

Having this, we can all approach the Athens Olympics in a more relaxed and professional manner.

Question 4: On Drugs: Is there a problem in our sport? How can this be minimized?

Piatkowski: We are lucky -- and it is our advantage compared to other sports -- that it is not a major problem in our sport. Nevertheless we have to remember that it is our obligation to proceed with doping control with all consequences at all world and regional major events. Let us hope that this will be enough to keep our athletes away from drugs.

Question 5: On Sponsorship and Television: Would you change how these areas are being handled, and how/why?

Piatkowski: The last two years have been disastrous for ITU. Cancellation of the contract with PSI cost the ITU a fortune as a result: The ITU has practically already spent the forthcoming television and sponsorship revenues from the Olympic Games in Sydney. Further, neither the World Championships and the World Cups are not shown on Eurosport anymore.

This situation must be discussed by ITU Congress, which should call a working group to work out quickly an analysis of the actual situation. These leaders could submit the proposal for a new marketing program covering the next four years.

Question 6: On Development and Universality: Is this an area you would promote, how and why?

Piatkowski: Triathlon can be done all over the world and its promotion through the ITU Development Programs is the best way. This would confirm our position among the Olympic sports and stop all speculation about its position in the Olympic program forever.

Question 7: Any additional comments on your candidacy?

Piatkowski: I came to triathlon from track and field. I witnessed
organisation, work and every day's activity of IAAF for more than 15 years now. Many times I have read in ITU commentaries that IAAF should be an example for ITU in many fields.

I have not seen any positive adaptations up to now. I wish we could have some in the near future, and I believe I could help in this area quite a bit.

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A return to 1996? Election focus stays unchanged

April 13, Perth, Australia (www.slowtwitch.com):

It has been four years since the last ITU Elections in Congress, and it appears that the issues that the race for the ITU Presidency are focusing on have not changed all that much. The platforms of five of the six candidates for ITU President have been appearing on Triathlonlive.com in the last week. (The sixth candidate, incumbent Les McDonald, didn't respond to the questions).

To show just how much the issues in 2000 are similar to the issues in 1996, TriathlonLive is running the past platform of the one previous challenger ever to take a stand against McDonald -- USA Triathlon's current executive director, Steve Locke. Locke held the same position when he issued the following statements via RST (the rec.sport.triathlon Internet newsgroup that was a central communicator for triathletes before
everyone had e-mail):

---

From: trifedusa@aol.com (TRIFED USA)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.triathlon
Subject: USA Triathlon's Steven Locke Is Running for ITU President
Date: 16 May 1996 09:49:03 -0400

The USA Triathlon Board of Directors has asked me to run for the office of ITU President. Before accepting, I gave the request a great deal of thought and sought advice from many persons. At this time I an happy to announce my candidacy for president of the International Triathlon Union. The election takes place in Cleveland on August 23, 1996 at the ITU Cleveland Congress. Only delegates from ITU national federation members will be permitted to vote.

In this campaign there are two key issues. Can the ITU member federations be led by a president who truly respects all of the people of the triathlon/duathlon community? Can ITU find a new president who can be respected by both the entire triathlon/duathlon community and by the ITU member federations as well? The present ITU President has shown time after time that he has no respect for anyone who does not march with him in lock
step. The present ITU President is truly unpopular everywhere in the triathlon/duathlon community.

The sport of triathlon's (and duathlon's) turmoil remains ever present and ever deepening. Significant voices within the sport are continually stifled by the current ITU President. Wherever you turn, whether it be to the athletes, the race promoters or even the International Olympic Committee, there is a lack of confidence in the ability of ITU's present management to do the job. The past four years have been marked by losses of ITU sponsorship, rapid turnover in the roster of races making up the ITU Triathlon World Cup Series, and a steady lack of forthrightness on the part of the ITU leadership. ITU is a poorly managed international federation, something which almost everyone silently knows. Athlete support for ITU is virtually non-existent. It is time to speak out and
that is what I intend to do.

I believe that the ITU can be led by someone who respects and is respected by the membership. I believe that the ITU President can lead without always fomenting acrimony and distrust. I believe ITU can be a leadership organization even while seeking input from the people of the sport and the ITU national federation membership. I believe that we need to find new leadership if ITU is to become a respected member of the Olympic family. I am greatly disturbed how ITU handled the entire drafting question.

The present ITU President claims sole responsibility for triathlon being on the Sydney Olympic programme. He tells us we need to do as he says or else the IOC will turn its back on us. The events of the last six months have shown us that isn't true at all. I plan to puncture the myth that only Les McDonald knows how triathlon can be kept as an Olympic sport.

I plan to prove that a powerful, dynamic international federation can be a participatory organization, operated in a democratic way.

Please let me hear from all of you and don't fear to take a stand. For far too long the ITU has been governed by fear and it's time to replace fear with harmony and goodwill. From time to time I plan to post excerpts from my election platform so that everyone will know where I stand (and I invite input on the planks of the platform). If you wish a complete copy right away, please ask for it by e-mailing your request (TRIFEDUSA@AOL.COM) together with your name and address.

It really is time for a change. Enough is enough!


Steven Locke
USA Triathlon

======================================

(NOTE FROM TRIATHLONLIVE: The following is Steve Locke's 9 Point Platform that he ran on in 1996. It was posted on RST between 23 May 1996 and 7 June 1996. We regret that we are missing point 5).

* ITU: A TRUE MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION

I believe that the International Triathlon Union was founded as and remains an organization of member federations. ITU's current leadership does not respect that truth. Under its present management, ITU grows more and more concentrated into the hands of fewer and fewer persons. I believe that the ITU member federations must have a greater voice in deciding the important questions of the next quadrennium than they did in the quadrennium now ending. I will see to it that we become a more participatory organization, truer to the ITU Constitution.

* ITU: A TRUE LEADERSHIP ORGANIZATION

True leadership rests on the principle that the leader must never be too far ahead of his followers. A very wise prime minister once said "Because I am their leader, I must learn to follow." While a leader must have vision, that vision counts for nothing if it is imposed from above rather than truly accepted and understood by those who must follow. The present ITU management mistakes dictatorship for true leadership. I plan to lead, and I plan to provide vision with the consent and the participation of the
ITU membership in a very real way.

* ITU: CREATING HARMONY AND UNITY

The present ITU management thinks it creates harmony and unity by
excluding everyone who may disagree with them and then professing to not care about what the excluded think or do. As we have sadly learned, that means that important parts of our wonderful sport believe ITU is the "enemy". In truth, ITU's present management treats these outcasts as the enemy. Creating false enemies and false wars is an old technique of dictators to achieve unity and harmony. It's time that we get rid of fear and secretiveness. It's time that we achieve a true harmony and a true unity by bringing all elements of the sport into ITU. When I am ITU President I will look for ways to bring the athletes who have refused to compete in Triathlon World Cup; I will bring in the race promoters and
media people of our sport so that they can use their talents for ITU's (and triathlon's) benefit.

** ITU: CREDIBILITY

The present ITU management does not enjoy any significant credibility within the sport. I pledge to change this regrettable situation.

[the following was an addendum posted by Steve Locke regarding this point]

Bernie asked how I would change ITU's lack of credibility. Credibility happens when you do the following:

1. Keep your promises
2. Make few promises
3. Quickly admit mistakes
4. Letting other people tell you how good you are rather then telling other people all about your accomplishments
5. Doing things that are improvements
6. Telling the truth
7. Doing things that count
8. Responding to inquiries, challenges and skepticism promptly and forthrightly
9. Telling it like it is
10. Acting civilly even when the other person does not

That's how I plan to restore ITU's creditability when I am president.

*ITU: RUN IT IN A BUSINESS LIKE MANNER

Putting ITU together was a big job and Les McDonald accomplished that. But in the process he took a lot of short cuts. I will bring those short cuts to your attention during the campaign and I will ask each of the ITU members whether we can afford to have our international federation now managed by people who believe that short cuts are the way to do business and are the way to deal with business partners.

In the business area, the history of ITU is a history of lost sponsorships and rapid turnover of races in the Triathlon commercial marketing and television rights to Pacific Sports Entertainment (PSE). Will the same past inadequacies cause PSE to terminate its arrangements with ITU? Please remember that ITU was without funds when PSE came along.

My record in managing the business of USA Triathlon is just the opposite of Les McDonald's management of ITU. Under my direction more then $2,000,000 in sponsorships have been raised by USA Triathlon. USA Triathlon is operated at an annual surplus which is four times greater than when I took over. The programs of USA Triathlon are richer, larger, and more extensive than they've ever been. This is a proven record of business accomplishment in managing a large federation with 70,000 athlete members.

I pledge to use my business management skills to make the PSE connection fruitful. I pledge to do for ITU what's been done in other successful international sports federations. I pledge to put an end to business incompetence in the ITU. I pledge to cooperate with PSE so that ITU realizes its full potential to do the commerce of this sport in a manner which is creditable and productive.

ITU: RESPECTING ITS CONSTITUTION

It is my pledge as ITU President to lead and manage the ITU in accordance with its constitution, something not done by the current ITU management. I will not allow a situation to exist where constitutional amendments are illegally adopted in violation of the voting requirements of the ITU Constitution. I will not allow federation membership applications which are irregular on their face to remain uncorrected and I pledge to solve this problem without the dislocation of any member's standing. But the
knowledge of the membership and I will not allow public filings to be made of corporate documents without the knowledge of the membership. I pledge to clean up these situations.

It is my pledge that as ITU president I will be a fiduciary to the
membership. I will respect their interests and rights.

ITU: ATHLETES


When PSE wanted to obtain athlete spokespersons for the 1996 Triathlon World Cup it was turned down even though the athletes involved were offered $50,000 for the job. The athletes involved reported this to USA Triathlon. The reason given by the athletes for the turn down was their dislike of Les McDonald. The athletes who finally accepted the offer became spokespersons for PSE and not for the ITU; that is to say their contracts are not with the ITU but are with PSE. Why?

The ITU Executive Board needs to be revamped to include two athletes chosen by athletes.

A program must be begun to find the true athlete heroes of our sport to help us make the sport better known and more widely followed. The present ITU management is incapable of achieving that goal. The present ITU management hopes that the sport's leading athletes just get too old to compete.

I pledge to you, the ITU members, that I will, as the ITU President, bring the sport's athletes into full support of and in harmony with the ITU.

*ITU Management and Structure

When I am elected ITU President I will:

1. Create a study committee which includes three ITU members to evaluate the office management of the ITU Secretariet to present recommendations to the next ITU Congress about the manning (and femaling) and funding of the ITU office staff.

2. Create a study committee to consider the need for an ITU restructuring whose purpose will be to broaden the participation in ITU of elements of the triathlon/duathlon sport which are now excluded, particularly in the areas of event calendar formation and broadening the appeal of triathlon/duathlon throughout the world.

3. Engage outside sports information and publicity consultants whose task will be to increase the propaganda aspect of ITU communications which continually is made a part of ITU releases.

4. Devise, with the cooperation of the member federations, ways to calm the DRAFTING controversy by seeking the views of all concerned parties which includes in addition to athletes, officials and race promoters, ITU's commercial arm, PSE.

5. Cooperate with the ITU membership in creating and funding coaching and officiating programs.

6. Strengthen the ITU Doping Control program.

7. Include the member federations in a restructured ITU internal
governance and management system so as to make ITU a truly participatory organization.

8. Continue and EXPAND the efforts of ITU to provide opportunities and increased representation of women in the sport of triathlon/duathlon.

The platform has now been posted in its entirety. Future postings will include information on the resolution package to be presented by USA Triathlon at the Cleveland ITU Congress. We believe each of the sport's National Governing Bodies have a responsibility to report to their membership the content of resolution language to be presented on the international level. We welcome your comments and INPUT.

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Mag for IOC-audience isn’t kind to McDonald

April 4, Munich, Germany (www.slowtwitch.com):

Les McDonald, the ITU president, may have met his match: Sport Intern, the biweekly newsletter that is required reading for international federations and sports sponsors and decision-makers at the highest levels.

The March 31 issue of Sport Intern, published in English out of Munich, makes McDonald its lead story and front-page news. The headline reads: “Triathlon world president Les McDonald is facing a storm.”

The article refers to McDonald initially as an “individualistic Canadian” who is facing extreme opposition, especially in Europe, to his presidency. The 11-year leader of the ITU faces his first real challenge on the April 27 elections at the ITU Congress in Perth. There, no fewer than five candidates have been nominated to take over his position.

The article reads, in part: “In a kind of register of sins, McDonald’s opponents list pages of arguments why McDonald is “no longer acceptable” as president. The list of failings and accusations start with the with the “unprofessional management” of the federation and runs through to “falsifying the constitution” and “attempted vote-rigging.” If what is to be read in the paper is true, the ITU is close to bankruptcy.”

The charges that the Sport Intern article refers to are both numerous and varied. Among them:

- that “McDonald has become prone to acts of high-handedness which even his close friends have lost patience with”;
- that, according to these papers, “Practically all business partners have been disappointed by the failure to perform expected services or maintain quality standards”;
- that McDonald has engaged in “falsification of the ITU constitution in the version distributed to the members of the Executive Board; (and) repeated falsification of minutes”;
-- that the 1999 World Championships in Montreal resulted in a loss of US$200,000, and that the ITU is “practically living on the advances paid by the IOC from the TV and sponsorship money for the 2000 Games in Sydney.”

There are additional references and charges within the article that runs 750 words. It suggests that the Les McDonald era may be nearing its end.

Ironically, on the same front page, Sport Intern lauds the difference that a different leader -- in another sport -- has made in just five months at the top. That piece talks about Lamine Diack’s new role in track and field. It reads, in part: “With remarkable sensitivity and political skill, in the five months since the death of Primo Nebiolo, (Senegal’s) Lamine Diack has established himself not only as a competent IAAF President, but also as one of the key figures in world sport. The fact that a new style has come into the play ... is confirmed on all sides.”

Further details of the McDonald article cannot be divulged without crossing copyright law. However, those interested can contact the publisher directly to ask to receive a copy of the two-page article. (No doubt there will be a charge to receive it). It presents a most intriguing outline of McDonald’s conduct and ITU operations rarely revealed outside of ITU’s inner circles.

The editor and publisher of Sport Intern is Karl-Heinz Huba. His e-mail is ISMG@aol.com (for the company, Inside Sports Media GmbH).

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ITU election nominations revealed

March 23, Vancouver, BC, Canada (www.slowtwitch.com):

Twenty-eight federations have put backed nominees for the upcoming ITU elections on April 27 at the Perth Congress.

ITU elections are conducted every four years for various executive board and committee positions. There is an unprecedented challenge to Les McDonald this year, with five other nominees vying for the ITU Presidential position.

In ITU’s 11-year history, there has been just a single opponent -- ever -- to McDonald, ITU’s one and only president. That was the USA’s Steve Locke, who was on the losing side of a 55-5 vote in favor of McDonald at the Cleveland Congress in 1996.

All national federations were invited to make nominations by February 27, some 60 days in advance of the Congress. The ITU had 15 days before it was obligated to reveal all the nominees.

Here is who is running for the various positions:

Nominations for ITU President (1 to be elected):
1. Erika Koenig-Zenz (AUT)
2. Didier Lehenaff (SLO)
3. Les McDonald (CAN)
4. Jorge Mejia (COL)
5. Krysztof Piatkowski (POL)
6. Ray Preston (COK)

Nominations for ITU Vice-President (1 to be elected):
1. Chiharu Igaya (JPN)

Nominations for ITU Secretary General (1 to be elected):
1. Martin Engelhardt (GER)
2. Mark Sisson (USA)

Nominations for ITU Treasurer (1 to be elected):
1. Joao Calazans (VEN)
2. Bill Walker (AUS)
3. Graeme Kempson (GBR)

Nominations for the ITU Executive Board’s minimum 2 women members:
(Note: Those not elected, are eligible to stand for election for the remaining five positions on the ITU Executive Board).
1. Libby Burrell (RSA)
2. Marisol Casado (ESP)
3. Gisele Goyenega (CRC)
4. Erika Koenig-Zenz (AUT)

Nominations for the ITU Executive Board (5 to be elected):
1. Antonio Alvarez (MEX)
2. Angelo Bonitzi (ITA)
3. Joao Calazans (VEN)
4. Martin Engelhardt (GER)
5. Mick English (GBR)
6. Brian Hinton (AUS)
7. Jacques LaParade (FRA)
8. Jorge Mejia (COL)
9. Krysztof Piatkowski (POL)
10. Ray Preston (COK)
11. Rami Ramachandran (IND)

Nominations for the ITU Technical Committee (7 to be elected):
1. Loreen Barnett (CAN)
2. Jaime Cadaval (MEX)
3. David Coles (AUS)
4. Carsten Ditlefsen (DEN)
5. Michel Gignoux (FRA)
6. Rolando Herrera (CUB)
7. Jorge Manuel Herrera (CUB)
8. Bornd Lange (GER)
9. Helmut Menger (GER)
10. Gergely Markus (HUN)
11. Masao Nakayama (JPN)
12. Dragana Pavlovic (YUG)
13. Enrique Quesada (ESP)
14. Emil Stoinev (BUL)
15. Roberto Tamburri (ITA)
16. Michael Thoren (SWE)

Nominations for the ITU Medical Committee (7 to be elected):
(Note: Chapter 4: Organisation — 4.5 Medical Committee: "The members of the Medical Committee should all be physicians with special knowledge in sports medicine, pharmacology, biochemistry and in laboratory control.")
1. Susanne Baur (GER)
2. Manuel Chamorro (ESP)
3. Phillippe Chateau (FRA)
4. Douglas Hiller (USA)
5. Toshihito Katsumura (JPN)
6. Alain LeBlanc (CAN)
7. Sergio Migliorini (ITA)
8. Edisson Osorio (PUR)
9. Dianne Robinson (AUS)
10. Ruedi Rubenhofer (SUI)

Nominations for the ITU Women’s Committee (7 to be elected):
1. Cheryl Battaerd (AUS)
2. Nelly Becerra (MEX)
3. Monika Birk (GER)
4. Ria Damgren (SWE)
5. Dorothy Dorian (USA)
6. Pamela Fralick (CAN)
7. Manuela Ianesi (ITA)
8. Surekha Ramachandran (IND)
9. Liesbeth Stoltz (RSA)
10. Katherine Williams (IRE)

Nominations for the ITU Constitution Committee (5 to be elected):
1. Dieter Bremer (GER)
2. Patrice Brunet (CAN)
3. Mina Guli (AUS)
4. Jozef Jurasek (SLO)
5. Graeme Kempson (GBR)
6. Steve Locke (USA)
7. Tom Pryde (NZL)
8. Ray Preston (COK)
9. Ola Silvdahl (SWE)
10. Walter Zetting (AUT)

Nominations for the ITU Credentials Committee (3 to be elected):
1. Mike Highfield (USA)
2. Robert Maasdijk (NED)
3. Henning Mueller (GER)
4. Sheila O’Kelly (CAN)
5. Gerardo Zetina (MEX)

Nominations for the ITU Duathlon Committee (3 to be elected):
1. Jose Garza (MEX)
2. Hubert Koenig (AUT)
3. John Raadchelders (NED)
4. Stefan Ruf (SUI)
5. Eric Swartz (USA)
6. Marco Zaffaroni (ITA)

Nominations for the ITU Audit Committee (3 to be elected):
(Note: Audit Committee members are elected for a one-year term.)
1. Bill Hallett (CAN)
2. Jonathan Grinder (USA)
3. Dragana Kamenica (YUG)
4. Bob Welsh (GBR)

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ITU election update: Igaya for VP only

February 29, Vancouver, B.C., Canada (www.slowtwitch.com):

Japan's Chiharu "Chick" Igaya is not one of the candidates for the ITU presidency after all: He is, rather, a candidate for ITU vice-president -- his current position.

That clarification leaves the field of challengers to incumbent president Les McDonald at five -- three of them from Europe.

The European three are Didier Lehenaff of France; Erika Koenig-Zenz of Austria; and Krzysztof Piatkowski of Poland. The remaining two candidates, in addition to McDonald himself, are Ray Preston of the Cook Islands, and Jorge Mejia of Colombia.

The ITU is not expected to reveal the complete list of candidates for all the positions, from executive board through the committees, until 15 days after the nomination deadline (February 25 was a Friday, though technically this could wait until 15 days from Sunday, February 27 - the actual 60 days before the Congress). At that point, all federations will receive copies of both Congress resolutions and election candidates.

Lehenaff, Koenig-Zenz and Piatkowski are all officials within the European Triathlon Union. The appearance of three on the ballot -- for the April 27 elections at the ITU Congress in Perth -- suggests not so much a split in the ETU ranks, but a serious disagreement with the present ITU management and overall policy.

"There is clearly a serious problem in our sport," Koenig-Zenz said on Tuesday. "Triathlon is in a situation in that few sponsors want to invest in our wonderful sport; the media is reluctant to support the sport as clear concepts are missing; and all this is occurring in the face of the Athens Olympics in 2004.

"And, also, there will not be just a question of the ITU lobbying to stay on the Olympic schedule, but serious hard work ahead with the Greek federation, and huge technical, administrative and personnel investments."

Koenig-Zenz is currently both the European representative to the ITU executive board and the secretary general for the ETU.

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Seven candidates declare for ITU presidency

February 28, Vancouver, B.C., Canada (www.slowtwitch.com):

ITU President Les McDonald -- who has had just a single challenger in three previous ITU elections -- now has six challengers vying for his position.

His own candidacy makes for seven would-be presidents -- and seems to signal that not all is well in the world of triathlon.

The candidates, each nominated by individual federations, come from all five regions. Today, 5pm Pacific time, is the deadline for ITU headquarters to receive nominations for all positions for the quadrennial ITU elections at the ITU Congress on April 27 in Perth, Australia.

The seven declared candidates --

- Canada's Les McDonald, ITU's one and only president (since 1989);
- Japan's Chiharu Igaya, the current ITU first vice-president;
- Cook Islands' Ray Preston, that federations and the first to publicly
declare his presidential intentions;
- Colombia's Jorge Meija, president of PATCO (the Americas region);
- Poland's Krzystof Piatkowski, that federation's president;
- Austria's Erika Koenig-Zenz, secretary general of the ETU and the European regional representative to ITU; and
- France's Didier Lehenaff, president of the ETU and one of ITU's vice-presidents.

All but Lehenaff were nominated by their own federations. Lehenaff was not put forward by France, which chose to put forward Jacques LaParade -- the French federation president -- as its nomination for the ITU's executive board.

While it's not exactly clear just which federation nominated Lehenaff, his nomination is not at all out of order. It simply follows the precedent set by Mark Sisson, an American whose candidacy for ITU treasurer was put forward by the Mexican federation -- successfully -- in 1996 at the ITU Congress in Cleveland. Sisson has risen through the ITU ranks to become its current secretary general.

The six challengers to McDonald is unprecedented. In 1996, the only one to run against him was Steve Locke, then and still the executive director of USA Triathlon.

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Austria's Koenig is second ITU presidential candidate

February 24, Graz, Austria (www.slowtwitch.com):

Erika Koenig-Zenz, the popular secretary general of the European Triathlon Union, now has a new role: Challenger to ITU President Les McDonald.

Koenig-Zenz's nomination was put forward on Tuesday by Ute Salcher, secretary of the Austrian Triathlon Federation:

"Mrs.Erika Koenig-Zenz has been nominated as candidate for the office of ITU President for the elections at ITU's Congress at Perth," Salcher's statement read. "The Austrian Triathlon federation is convinced that Mrs.Koenig, presently Secretary General of the European Triathlon Union, is highly regarded in the triathlon world and able to fullfil the task in professional manner."

Koenig-Zenz is the second individual to be nominated against McDonald for the prestigious ITU position: Cook Islands federation president Ray Preston was the first to declare a few weeks ago.

Elections for the ITU's presidency, board and all committee positions will take place at the ITU Congress at Perth on April 27.

Preston calls for review of ITU's most pressing debt

February 5, Rarotonga, Cook Islands (www.slowtwitch.com):

Ray Preston, the Cook Islands Triathlon Association President, is wasting little time in establishing his purpose in declaring for the ITU Presidency. He wants change, and he wants it to start on April 27, the day the ITU conducts its quadrennial elections at the Perth Congress.

Preston issued this statement on Saturday:
"I want to thank my Federation for the confidence that they have, in nominating me for the ITU Presidency.

"It would be my undertaking, as President of ITU, to review every aspect of the operation of ITU, to consult with the people that have the knowledge, on important issues, and then to place those issues before the people that matter before decisions are made. I understand that there will be some things that might not be changeable, but they would, nevertheless, be reviewed.

"Item one:
The indebtedness of ITU for $US1.75 Million, to PSE, would be reviewed immediately and, if desirable and/or possible, a renegotiating undertaken with PSE."

Preston was making a reference to the final deal struck in March 1998 when ITU "bought back" the World Cup rights from PSE, a Sydney marketing firm, after the PSE's 10-year plan to support, sponsor and market triathlon worldwide was no longer satisfactory to the ITU.

The ITU borrowed from the IOC against some of the television revenues coming to it after the Sydney Olympics. The balance of the buy-back, $1.75 million, is due to PSE on December 31, 2000 -- or else all ITU World Cup rights revert back to PSE.

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First candidate to challenge McDonald

February 4, Rarotonga, Cook Islands (www.slowtwitch.com):

Little-known Ray Preston, president of the Cook Islands Triathlon Association, is the first to declare himself publicly as an official candidate for Les McDonald's job -- president of the International Triathlon Union.

Preston issued this statement on Friday: "The Cook Islands Triathlon Association announces that it has presented the ITU, via fax and registered mail, with the nomination of its President, Ray Preston, as a candidate for the position of ITU President, at the April ITU Congress in Perth, Australia."

ITU elections are conducted every four years, and they will highlight the agenda of the April 27 Congress. Federations have until February 27 -- or, 60 days before Congress -- to put forward nominations for all the elected positions for ITU board and committees.

There has been only one other challenger to McDonald, the ITU's only president ever, in the 11-year history of the ITU: That was the USA's Steve Locke, who was a candidate at the 1996 Congress in Cleveland. In all previous ITU elections, McDonald was elected without opposition.

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