The International Triathlon Union has opened the process to nominate a new Athletes’ Committee for the next two-year term ©ITU

The International Triathlon Union (ITU) has opened the process to nominate a new Athletes’ Committee for the next two-year term.

The Committee is composed of 10 members - five men and five women - from at least three continents, with a maximum of two Para-triathletes from each gender and from two different continents.

Candidates can be self-nominated, and may be any athlete who has had points on the ITU points list or ITU Para-triathlon points list within the past four years.

Similarly, any athlete who has had points on the ITU points list or ITU Para-triathlon points list within the past four years can vote in the process.

Athletes have until midnight on September 11 to nominate candidates for the positions.

The following day, nominations will be published on the ITU’s website, with voting to commence online immediately.

The online voting will be anonymous and secure to ensure only one vote per elite athlete.

Athletes can also submit their vote in-person at the athlete briefing during the World Triathlon Grand Final, which is scheduled to take place in Cozumel in Mexico from September 11 to 18.

The online voting system is due to close at 12:01am on September 28 with election results set to be announced on September 30.

The United States' Gwen Jorgensen won women's triathlon gold at Rio 2016 ©Getty Images
The United States' Gwen Jorgensen won women's triathlon gold at Rio 2016 ©Getty Images

The role of athletes in the decision-making process of the ITU has been a fundamental principle of the world governing body since its creation in Avignon in France in 1989.

Responsibilities include attending the ITU’s Annual Congress, where the Athletes’ Committee has two votes, as well as obtaining and synthesising views of athletes on a range of matters relevant to them. 

The inclusion of elected athletes on the ITU Executive Board is said to have strengthened the role of the athletes.

It is part of the ITU’s bid to be athlete-centered.

The opening of the nomination process comes hot on the heels of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, where Great Britain’s Alistair Brownlee and the United States’ Gwen Jorgensen won the respective men’s and women’s triathlons.

Gregor Bucholz of Germany, Britain's Claire Cunningham, New Zealander Kris Gemmell, France's Jessica Harrison, South Africa's Oswald Kydd, American Steve Sexton and Japan's Ai Ueda currently make up the Athletes' Committee.