Search
shop

IRONMAN apologise after ‘repurposed’ finisher T-shirts caused Swansea furore

IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea finishers will have their event t-shirts replaced if they were affected by the organisations decision to recycle old event tops.
Staff Reporter
Last updated -
Get the ultimate guide to destination racing

IRONMAN has apologised to 70.3 Swansea finishers and said they WILL receive new T-shirts after ‘repurposed’ items caused a storm of protest on social media.

Athletes were left feeling let down and disappointed after realising that some of the event T-shirts included in their race packs had been recycled from the 2022 event.

Paul Harris of Swansea Vale Triathlon Club shared pictures on Twitter of the ‘new’ tops, which had been given a facelift via a sticker plastered over the date.

In response to the backlash, the organiser admitted it had decided to re-print a number of spare tops from last year, in an effort to avoid waste. However it acknowledged this fell short of normal standards.

Now IRONMAN says it has apologised to finishers and says they will be receiving fresh 2023 event T-shirts.

“I felt sorry for all the first-timers”

Harris signed up with over 100 other Swansea Vale members for what is their home half-distance race, and explained why disappointment had been so high.

He told TRI247: “The finisher T-shirt was disappointing, there was no indication that I saw that the T-shirts were going to be re-purposed, though I am told that there was some mention of it in the athlete’s brief.

“My club, Swansea Vale Tri, had 134 entrants who paid over £46,000 in race entry fees. Of the 134, there were over 40 who were doing an IRONMAN event for the first time. IRONMAN say they are totally committed to providing ‘the ultimate experience’ and I thought it was short of the mark.”

IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea 2023 Finisher T-Shirts

Harris claims that after contacting IRONMAN about the issue, the organisation initially defended its actions in the name of sustainability, something which he believes was a poor excuse.

“I sent an email and in the reply I had back, I feel they hid behind the ‘sustainability’ card when they had clearly made a mistake. Last year’s T-shirts could have been put up for sale on their website, better still donated to a charity for them to use / distribute.

IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea 2023 Finisher T-Shirts

“Furthermore, I’d happily forgo the T-shirt if they were to make a donation to a charity, much like ‘trees not tees’, or give people the option of not having the shirt for a lower entry fee, which other race organisers do offer as an option.”

IRONMAN respond to T-shirt turmoil

IRONMAN released a statement to TRI247, explaining the situation, and what the organisation is doing to resolve it.

“We had approximately 2,000 spare finisher t-shirts from last year which did not get used due to a delay in shipping.  To avoid waste, rather than throwing away t-shirts that were good to use, we had them re-printed. In the interests of ensuring athletes had a T-shirt in the time for Sunday, we admit this fell short of our normal standards.

“We have since contacted all finishers of IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea to apologise and let them know a new finisher shirt will be posted to them in due course.”

Tomos Land
Written by
Tomos Land
Tomos Land is a triathlon & running journalist whose expertise lies in the professional world of short course & long distance triathlon, though he also boasts an extensive knowledge of ultra-running.
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
Georgia Taylor Brown Santa Vall gravel race 2025 photo credit Santa Vall and Gravel Earth Series
Kate Waugh and Georgia Taylor-Brown among strong British line-up at T100 London
Triathlon superstar Hayden Wilde to make shock comeback at London T100
Lionel Sanders wins 70.3 St George 2025 photo credit Getty Images for IRONMAN
‘Intimidating’ to go into Worlds after four months off – but Lionel Sanders up for the challenge
Georgia Taylor-Brown Alex Yee Super League Triathlon Malibu 2021
Triathlon’s most decorated Olympic duo now honoured by their former University
Olav Aleksander Bu Photo credit: Roj Ferman | Surpas
Top triathlon coach Olav Aleksander Bu says it’s all about the team after Uno-X bag first Tour de France 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

100+ new articles/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.

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

Have an account? Sign in

Share to...