Search
shop

A watershed moment for British Triathlon?

The sport of triathlon made unwanted headlines this weekend in The Sunday Times - how it reacts now to those allegations is key
Chief Correspondent
Last updated -

It’s not often that the sport of triathlon makes headlines in The Sunday Times – and rarely does it do so without relating to the ups and downs of the Brownlee brothers.

That changed yesterday, with a headline of ‘Absence of leadership claim made against ‘toxic’ Triathlon Scotland‘.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL ARTICLE LINK

The article centres, primarily, around the feedback of Triathlon Scotland’s Lead Performance Coach, Mark Turner, who joined the organisation in May 2019. “Shocked and appalled” by what he has experienced, he described his reasons for speaking out as being in the hope of “a catalyst for change”. He goes on to describe Triathlon Scotland CEO, Jane Moncreiff, and Performance Director, Fiona Lothian, as “out of their depth.” His testimony includes approaching the Triathlon Scotland board with written statements featuring allegations of bullying from current and former athletes, coaches and athletes’ parents.

The article then further quotes athletes – under the condition of anonymity – past and present from the Elite squad, of issues relating to “if your face doesn’t fit, they want nothing to do with you”, and “I was bullied by staff and didn’t feel welcome.”

In response, a Triathlon Scotland spokesman was quoted as, “Triathlon Scotland is committed to ensuring it is a positive place to work… Evidence from an independent investigation, supported by a leading sports law firm, does not in any way recognise the claims made. While the investigation is complete, the internal process is yet to conclude, however we are very comfortable rejecting the statements and claims made.”

What next?

You may be forgiven for thinking that elements of the above sound familiar. Recent and current cases and claims involving British Cycling and UK Athletics, to name just two, certainly have similar hallmarks of claim and counter-claim and some of the issues raised cut across all three.

One thing I do know is that Elite sport is not an easy world to be in:

  • Athletes are under pressure to perform / qualify / make the team / gain funding and sponsorship.
  • Coaches are under pressure to talent ID future stars / gain trust / win medals / deliver the best coaching and hit KPI’s / obtain resources for science, training and more to optimise performance
  • Administrators and ‘Governing Body’ are under pressure to hit targets from UK Sport, obtain / retain / increase funding, reduce costs, maintain governance, win medals… while also meeting the diverse requirements of its membership base.

And that’s just a 30-second brain dump – add that all together, and you cannot avoid a high-pressure environment. Throw in selection policies, access to medical services, coaching… well, it’s a tough environment, with a lot of pressure for all involved.

Now, what is essential is how the sport reacts

If there is one thing we (should) have learned over recent years, it’s that being transparent is essential. And that also means that those individuals accused, and the governing body itself, also get a fair chance to put forward their case and, where appropriate, defend themselves.

Governance in Sports National Governing Bodies is certainly not my area of expertise, but avoiding the half-truths and tall tales of L-Carnitine injections, jiffy bags, dodgy doctors and multi-year investigations that continue in Cycling and Athletics can’t happen here. Just last week, Toni Minichello, the coach of Jessica Ennis-Hill highlighted the transparency issue in relation trust.

Does that mean a (fresh) independent review? Perhaps that means publication of investigation that has already taken place? I don’t know the best way forward, but I’m confident that the governing body being upfront and, if necessary, proactively calling in somebody (UK Sport?) to clear its name and/or learn from previous mistakes, would be far better received than months and years of innuendo and accusations with no progress made or solutions reached.

Public perception of elite sport has changed and any perceived  element of ‘brushing it under the carpet’ – even if the evidence refuting all of the allegations is watertight – is unlikely to wash in the current environment.

CLICK HERE FOR TRIATHLON SCOTLAND STATEMENT

John Levison
Written by
John Levison
TRI247's Chief Correspondent, John has been involved in triathlon for well over 30 years, 15 of those writing on these pages, whilst he can also be found commentating for events across the UK.
Discover more
Caroline Pohle Lena Meissner ironman 703 jonkoping sprint 2025
PremiumTriathlon’s mid-season report card: Tim Don on who’s raising the bar this triathlon race season
TRI-FIT VANGUARD tri suit review
The entry-level tri suit with a serious amount of performance for the price point – TRI-FIT VANGUARD review
Hayden Wilde bike supertri Boston 2024 photo credit supertri
Premium10 ways to make your road bike faster and more aero for triathlons
Kristian Blummenfelt photo credit: PTO Canadian Open
PremiumIs your gut health impacting your performance? The untapped potential of good gut health for triathletes
Laura Philipp and Kat Matthews on the run at the 2024 IRONMAN World Championship
PremiumHas triathlon reached peak performance? Tri experts and legends on how much faster triathletes could get
latest News
Hayden Wilde bike supertri Boston 2024 photo credit supertri
Hayden Wilde’s comeback moving closer – and why he’s inspired by Clarkson’s Farm
Paris 2024 Women's Triathlon podium - Cassandre Beaugrand, Julie Derron, Beth Potter
GOLDEN opportunity for the sport as first medals of LA2028 will be women’s triathlon
Gordon Ramsay 703 Luxembourg 2025
‘I’M BACK and Cooking!’ – Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay celebrates triathlon return
Danielle Lewis (USA) takes the win in Lake Placid.
Start list for IRONMAN Lake Placid REVEALED – and it’s stacked with world class names
Julie Derron wins T100 San Francisco 2025
IRONMAN Vitoria-Gasteiz 2025: Olympic star wins by MORE than half an hour for first full-distance win
triathlon on your terms
Never miss out with our triathlon alerts & digest. Get a dose of adventure & inspiration with Boundless.
The 247 Group

The home of endurance sports

TRI247-LOGO_Primary-Black_RGB-1

CHOOSE YOUR MEMBERSHIP TO BECOME PART OF SOMETHING EPIC

We’re on a mission to elevate the world of endurance sport, becoming your go-to resource for expert training tips and inspiration, unbiased reporting and creating a platform for grassroots voices. But we can’t do it without you on board! Choose a TRI247+ membership option below and become part of something epic.

£7.95/month

Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.

100+ new articles/month

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

£47.95/year
£95.40/year

50% Discount

Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

Share to...