A roadmap has reportedly been drawn up for the launching of a federation for triathlon for West Asia. In a report by the Kuwait News Agency, the head of the Kuwaiti Triathlon Committee Sheikh Fahad Jaber Al-Ali Al-Sabah indicated that the plans to form the new federation were progressing.
The announcement follows a recent meeting between ITU President and IOC Member Marisol Casado with National Federations from the Middle East region.
The proposed federation will seek to develop the sport of triathlon and increase the numbers of age group triathletes as well as organize continental and international events, Sheikh Fahad Jaber added after a meeting for the Asian Triathlon Confederation with representatives of West Asian federations.
The meeting was held at the headquarters of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) in Kuwait. Initially, an agreement will have to be concluded with the Asian Confederation, at the next general assembly, to amend its statute to allow the formation of affiliate federations on the continent, north, south, east, west and center.
The West Asia tri federation discussions were attended by representatives of six west Asian nations, UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan, Lebanon and Kuwait. Other members who did not attend reportedly ‘blessed the steps to be adopted by the attendees.’
Sheikh Fahd Al-Jaber expressed hope that the efforts would help promote the sport as it has been enjoying rising interest in the region. He also appreciated support by the OCA chairman Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah.
For his part, the head of the Bahrain Triathlon Association Shaikh Saqr bin Salman Al Khalifa said the meeting offered a chance to exchange ideas and expertise among members of the regional federations with the aim to promote the sport. He added that they also sought to intensify the number of triathlon events in the region.
The Bahraini Association organizes many triathlon competitions through the year, with an international event in December that attracts triathletes from 50 countries, Shaikh Saqr said.
Chairman of the Lebanon Triathlon Federation, Mahmoud Deep, also pointed to coordination between the West Asian countries and the Asian Confederation to promote triathlon in the region.
