Having been away for a week and watching the rumblings over the BTA/ETU/TCfE issue it was not too surprising to get an email this morning that included a reference to a Reuters piece on Simon Lessing making representations to the BTA at the weekend about their position vis a vis the new Council, the ITU and the ETU. This follows on from at least one member looking to get an Extraordinary General Meeting convened. We can't give a reference for the Reuters piece as it isn't on their website.

An email to the BTA asking for clarification resulted in the following statement (note that nobody seems to know if it's the Council in, for or of Europe...):

Executive Board of the British Triathlon Association states their position on European Triathlon Union and Triathlon Council in Europe

The Executive Board of the British Triathlon Association (BTA) met on the 16 December 2000. The meeting instructed the Chief Executive and Chairman to enter into dialogue with the European Triathlon Union (ETU) and to seek a resolution of the issues, which have lead to the creation of the Triathlon Council of Europe (TCE).

The BTA confirms its intention to remain affiliated to the ETU until such time as its membership decides otherwise.

The BTA will continue to support the broad aims of the TCE and hope that through discussion the issues which gave rise to the creation of the council can be resolved in the interests of all European athletes.

The British Triathlon Association welcomes and seeks to confirm assurances from both the ETU and the International Triathlon Union (ITU) that athletes from all European nations will continue to be able to participate in Championships and other events sanctioned by either body.

The BTA notes that both the ETU and ITU intend to call meetings of all the European Triathlon Federations in January 2001. We call for one meeting to be held involving the representatives of all European Federations, the ETU, ITU and TCE. We further recommend that this meeting be chaired by an independent person of some standing in international sport.

There are a couple of really interesting points here: the BTA is staying affiliated to the ETU, even though the ETU claim that the BTA haven't paid their fees for 2000 or settled the Bath issue, and the BTA are obviously worried that athletes will be barred from ETU events. The French have taken the other tack and barred their own athletes from the ETU's events! Signs that the TCfE is already following diverse policies. There's more to come!!