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World Triathlon strongly condemns Russian military action in Ukraine

International governing body coordinating support for Ukrainian triathlon community

Photo by: Getty Images

World Triathlon has issued a statement on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, strongly condemning “the actions against the country, through which the Russian government also breaches the Olympic Truce.” (Last December a resolution was adopted by all 193 United Nations member states – the Olympic Truce was to begin seven days before the start of the Olympic Games and end seven days after the closing of the Paralympics.)

World Triathlon sanctioned the Russian Triathlon Federation last year due to the significant number of doping cases in the country – a number of Russian triathletes tested positive in 2021. That sanction means that Russia can’t host any World Triathlon events this year.

Last year Dnipro, Ukraine hosted a World Triathlon Europe Triathlon Cup event, but the event doesn’t appear to be on the World Triathlon calendar for 2022.

Here’s more from today’s statement:

We have been contacted by several National Federations and event organisers willing to give their support where they can. The organisers of the Lievin Europe Triathlon Cup have offered free accommodation to Ukrainian athletes and support personnel registered to attend the event, an offer that can be extended for as long as necessary if those individuals would prefer to remain there for an extended period after the race.
 
The National Federation of Latvia has identified and contacted some families of Latvian triathletes that are willing to host, temporarily, triathletes, coaches or officials from Ukraine. 
 
World Triathlon has set up an email account (welcome@triathlon.org) where any member of the Triathlon community in Ukraine that is leaving the country or is willing to do so, can reach out to find families in other countries that are willing to host them. The email address is also available for all prospective host persons anywhere in the world who can offer their support to those fleeing Ukrainian. World Triathlon will keep all contacts confidential but will help to put the parties in touch with each other. 
 
World Triathlon has contacted the IOC task force monitoring the situation to offer our help to coordinate humanitarian assistance to members of the Olympic Community in Ukraine – and more specifically the Ukrainian triathlon family – where possible. We will continue to closely monitor the situation in Ukraine and how it affects our community and events in the region, and we stand with them all. 

Athletes, officials, coaches, staff and the TriathlonLive support personal based in Ukraine… you all have all our support and we stand with you in these terrible times. Stay safe and take care.