Posted: March 8, 2006

Triathlon: Rule banning bare torsos to be voted on during USAT Board of Directors meeting in April

Colorado Springs, Colorado: - A proposal made during the 2006 Competitive Rules Summit will be up for vote by the USAT Board of Directors during their March 31 meeting. The proposal, if passed, will ban bare torsos for men. The rule would go into effect immediately for the 2006 season, but would not carry any penalties until the 2007 season.

The change in the rule would require male athletes to cover their torso during the bike and run portions of a race, with the torso being defined as the portion of the body that extends from the base of the neck to the base of the sternum. Currently the United States is the only country in the world that allows male athletes to race with a bare torso.

The Rules Summit attendees decided to take this change into consideration due in part to reports from residents living in conservative communities where races are held. The Rules Summit also took into consideration the equality of rules for men and women, since women are already prohibited from competing with a bare torso. This rule will fall in line with the rules already in place prohibiting public nudity in the transition areas. This change will also help prepare the athletes of Team USA for international competition since ITU rules stand firmly behind the torso being covered for both men and women.

Any member or athlete who would like to comment on this proposal should send it to tbd@usatriathlon.org.

USA Triathlon is the national governing body for triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon and winter triathlon in the United States. USAT sanctions 1,800 races and connects with more than 60,000 members each year, making it the largest multi-sport organization in the world. For more information on this and other stories related to USA Triathlon, please contact Christina LeClerc at 719-597-9090, ext. 109 or at Christina@USATriathlon.org. Please visit USA Triathlon's web site at USATriathlon.org.

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