The International Triathlon Union (ITU) is pleased to announce its new office in the Olympic capital of Lausanne, Switzerland will open in the spring of 2011.  The new strategic base of the world governing body for the Olympic sport of triathlon will be the Maison du Sport International, also known as the “Home of International Sport”.  It is a unique complex accommodating the headquarters of more than 20 international sports federations and organisations.

ITU’s Sport Department, led by Director Gergely Markus, will operate from Lausanne upon opening.  The new office will be well positioned to promote triathlon worldwide and strengthen the organization by reinforcing ties with the IOC and key sports associations.

The headquarters will remain in Vancouver, Canada.  Meanwhile, ITU President Marisol Casado and other staff members will be based in the President’s office in Madrid, Spain.

Marisol Casado, ITU President and IOC Member, said:
“The new office will be a significant stepping stone to the successful development of triathlon.  Building relationships with the international sporting field in Lausanne is crucial in this era.  The new facility will become ITU’s base for listening and learning from the community, as well as our strategic point to deliver our messages.”

Triathlon was awarded Olympic status in 1994 and made a sensational debut in Sydney 2000.  ITU is now passionate about having a new discipline added to the Olympic programme to inspire the world’s youth.  Team Triathlon, a 4x mixed, super-sprint-distance relay, is an inspirational new format that was contested at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.  The ITU Team Triathlon World Championships were held in Lausanne last summer and will be contested again next summer.

Established in 1989, ITU has over 120 affiliated National Federations around the world and is the youngest International Federation in the Olympic Games.