Posted: May 4, 2004

Triathlon: Sarah Springman to run for ITU Presidency

The British Triathlon Association has announced that they intend to nominate Dr. Sarah Springman as a candidate for the position of President of the International Triathlon Union which comes up for re-election in December 2004. Dr. Springman is the Hon. President of the British Triathlon Association and was Vice President of the International Triathlon Union from 1992 to 1996.

Dr. Sarah Springman who was awarded Honorary Membership of the International Triathlon Union in 2001 was then described as being an inspiration for women and fair play in the sport of Triathlon and others for many years. A polished diplomat, and advocate for Triathlon within the Olympic family, she contributed immensely to the inclusion of Triathlon in the Olympic and Commonwealth Games.

Dr. Sarah Springman was a leading elite triathlete for several years and was European Triathlon Champion in 1988 and European Long Distance Champion in 1985 and 1986. She also took part in five Hawaii Ironman competitions and won eleven British Triathlon Championships between 1984 and 1992.

Dr. Springman was a member of the GB and UK Sports Councils from 1993-2001 and a Governor of the International Masters Games Association from 1992-2002. A graduate of Girton College, Cambridge, Dr. Springman is currently Professor of Geotechnical Engineering at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich.

The Presidency of the International Triathlon Union is currently held by Mr Les McDonald who spent his earlier years in England before emigrating to Canada and taking up citizenship there. Mr McDonald was first elected as President in 1989 at the inaugural meeting of the International Triathlon Union and has held the post for fifteen years. He is widely credited with the introduction of triathlon to the Olympic programme under the patronage of former IOC president, Juan Antonio Samaranch.

Mr McDonald's time at the helm of the International Triathlon Union has not been without controversy with his style of leadership bringing him into conflict with a number of National Triathlon Federations. He was last elected in Perth, Australia in 2000 in circumstances that led to several National Federations taking the International Triathlon Union to Court in Canada.

After his election in Perth, Mr McDonald was reported in an interview with "Worldsport" as saying he would stand down after the Athens Olympics. He stated "It is a younger group, a group I want to hand authority over to when after I retire in Athens". It is however, widely believed that Mr McDonald will not step down in December but will contest a further term as President, which would extend his reign as the first President of the International Triathlon Union to nineteen years.

Dr. Springman is recognised internationally as a candidate with right credentials and style of leadership needed to take the sport of Triathlon forward post Athens.

Dr. Springman stated today "I am extremely honoured by the invitation from the British Triathlon Association to put myself forward as a candidate for the Presidency in the forthcoming ITU elections. Fair play is an essential element of all competition and I invite other candidates standing for positions at the elections in December to conduct their campaigns in the true spirit of sport."

Mr Peter Coulson, Chairman of the British Triathlon Association stated today "I am pleased to announce that Dr. Sarah Springman has accepted the invitation of the British Triathlon Association to become a candidate for the position of President of the International Triathlon Union. This will be decided at the forthcoming Annual Congress to be held in Vancouver, Canada, on 5th December 2004. Sarah is a well known figure, not only in the Triathlon Community, but also in the world of sports diplomacy and in her profession. I am honoured to support Sarah for this position as we, on the Executive Board of the British Triathlon Association, agree that she would become an outstanding President and lead the International Triathlon Union onto higher levels in the world of sport."

Craig Reedie, Chairman of the British Olympic Association stated "'Sarah Springman will offer the International Triathlon Union an exciting choice as the sport moves forward after its Olympic inclusion. A distinguished international triathlete in her own right she has also competed at a high level in rowing competitions. I have worked with her for many years as a member of different Sports bodies as she has developed her administrative career in Great Britain and in Masters Games. All this has been achieved while developing a career in the academic world. There can be no better example of the proper development of "Women in Sport" and she will bring distinction to her International Federation and to everyone in her sport.'