ITU’s founding President Les McDonald, a driving, and sometimes controversial force for triathlon retires this year. McDonald accepted the position of Honorary President after consulting with ITU’s existing Honorary President Gunnar Ericsson of Sweden.
At its 21st Congress in Madrid, the International Triathlon Union (ITU) elected a new President, Secretary General and Executive Board. Spain’s Marisol Casado was officially sworn in as new President. Loreen Barnett from Canada became ITU’s new Secretary General. This makes ITU the only Olympic International Federation to have women as both President and Secretary General.
Four Vice Presidents were elected: Mexico’s Antonio Alvarez, Kyung-Sun Yu of South Korea, Sarah Springman, current President of the British Triathlon Federation, and Australia’s Bill Walker. Tom Carrasco of the Philippines was also elected as Treasurer.
“It is not an envious task to follow in the footsteps of one who has done such an outstanding job over so many years. It is even more difficult to try to step right up and suggest a series of improvements," said new ITU President Casado in her acceptance speech. "I view my prime challenge as accepting this legacy of unheard-of accomplishments that has been bestowed on me and then hopefully enhancing it even further."
Incoming Vice President Springman said. “With the Olympic focus moving to London over the next four years, British Triathlon has aspirations to increase participation, improve performance and raise the profile of the sport; it will be an extremely busy period. Development and inclusion will be key and we hope to achieve Paralympic programme status for our disabled athletes as soon as possible too.”
Honorary President Ericsson said he wanted to stand together with McDonald as Honorary Presidents for half a year, then Ericsson would step down on his 90th birthday. To that, McDonald responded, "I said okay. Some people in life you like to fight but you don’t fight people like Gunnar Ericsson because without him we would not be here."
