New York Times: "Olympians Shouldn’t Swim Through Sewage"

Lynne Cox wrote a nice opinion piece on water quality and safety of swimmers, triathletes and sailors    at Guanabara Bay and Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro. One conclusion to avoid viral or bacterial infections could be a very bold move by organizers of 2016 Olympic Games and country of Brazil:

"The president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, has said that “the competition area for the athletes will offer safe and fair conditions.” It is the committee’s responsibility to ensure this is so. The aquatic events must be moved to safe, clean waters — and if that can’t be found in Brazil, they must be transferred to another country.

While there is no modern precedent for a binational Olympics, and the committee’s charter may forbid them, such a move may be the only solution, short of canceling these races. But that would shatter the dreams of athletes who have trained most of their lives to reach the Olympic Games. They deserve a chance to compete where the water won’t hurt them."

1. Olympians Shouldn’t Swim Through Sewage

IRONMAN announced changes to global competition rules to counter technical fraud (mechanical doping)

IRONMAN announced today, that it has strengthened its global competition rules to combat technological fraud (also known as mechanical fraud). As a leader in the endurance industry, IRONMAN is partnering with the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) to leverage the latest technology to combat the concealment of motors or other artificial accelerating devices by athletes looking to gain an unfair advantage.

Mechanical doping is already present at various levels of bicycle racing. Belgian female cyclocross rider Femke Van den Driessche has been banned for six years for mechanical doping form UCI races using a hidden motor adding some extra wattage. The ban is backdated to October 11, 2015, and she must also pay a fine of 20,000 Swiss francs. One commonly found setup is a seattube based motor and battery pack. Picture: vivax drive GmbH & Co KG

“Technological fraud is contrary to the spirit of IRONMAN and of fair play,” said Andrew Messick, Chief Executive Officer of IRONMAN. “Athletes who choose to gain advantage by such means undermine the trust and norms of our community, the tenet of fair competition, and the accomplishment of completing the entire race under one’s own power.”

IRONMAN will be actively inspecting bicycles at races around the world – including all Championship races. Inspections will primarily occur following the bike portion of the event, after athletes have transitioned to the run.

“The UCI is committed to eradicating technological fraud and will collaborate with IRONMAN on best practices to help keep the sport of triathlon fair,” added Mark Barfield UCI Technical Manager. The penalty for technological fraud will be disqualification from the relevant event and indefinite suspension from all IRONMAN events. To see the complete IRONMAN Global Competition rules, please visit: www.ironman.com/rules-and-regulations.aspx.

ITU introduces innovative new triathlon format: time trial qualifier in Kitzbühel, Austria announced

ITU is pleased to introduce an innovative new format of triathlon racing to its 2016 race calendar. This year, the 2016 Kitzbühel World Cup will debut a time trial qualification format that will see athletes compete twice in one day.

“Kitzbühel is known to our triathletes for its innovating formats,” said ITU President and IOC Member Marisol Casado. “In 2013, athletes endured one of the toughest races we’ve ever presented as they climbed and ran up Kitzbühel Horn Mountain as a part of the World Triathlon Series. As we continue exploring ways in which we can evolve the sport of triathlon with exciting formats, it’s my pleasure to see this new format tested out in such a forward-thinking place like Kitzbühel.”

The time trial, to be held in the morning, will be contested over 2/3 the distance of a sprint triathlon, with athletes going off at 30-second intervals. The athletes with the top 30 times in the time trial will then advance to the finals later in the day.

The final podium will be decided over a super sprint triathlon course, which will be 1/3 the distance of a regular sprint race. For the finals competition, athletes will begin with a mass start.

The time trial qualification format allows more athletes to compete on the playing field, as they are sent off one by one. The dynamic, quick tempo race style also provides a strong platform for Junior and U23 athletes to prepare for the leap to elite racing.

“I’d like to extend a warm thank you to the ITU team to permit us to work on a new format like this,” said Triathlon Austria President Walter Zettinig, “We are looking forward to organizing a great World Cup race in Kitzbühel again.”

While the Kitzbühel World Cup will be contested after the close of the Olympic qualification period, this fast and furious format will be an ideal race for athletes to hone their speed ahead of the Rio Olympics.  

“We are sure this new format will highlight the ability for individuals to perform,” said LOC Director Herwig Grabner. “The shorter distance in the finals will be highly attractive to TV broadcasters, which will enable us to show spectators how fast and attractive our sport is.”

1. Time Trial rules and regulations.pdf