World Triathlon has released its Safeguarding Guidelines for National Federations, a new resource that turns the commitments of the TRI Safeguarding Policy and Programme into clear, practical action for its Members. The Guidelines are a central part of TRICARE, World Triathlon's safeguarding initiative built on trust, respect and inclusion.
World Triathlon President Antonio F. Arimany said: "Safeguarding is not a compliance exercise. It is a commitment to the people at the heart of our sport: the athletes, coaches, technical officials, volunteers, and communities who make triathlon what it is. Every National Federation, large or small, now has a clear route to a safer sport. These Guidelines give our Members practical tools, and World Triathlon will walk alongside them through Open Hours, mentoring and one-to-one support. We are here to support you every step of the way. We Care."
The Guidelines mark a new approach for World Triathlon. Rather than a single checklist, they meet each National Federation where it stands, with guidance tailored to three levels of readiness through the new TRICARE Classification System.
The TRICARE Classification System gives National Federations a clear picture of where they are and what comes next:
• Bronze (Getting Started): for federations beginning their journey. They appoint a safeguarding lead, set up a minimum reporting mechanism, complete TRI Safeguarding Level I on the Education Hub and take part in the Annual Safeguarding Survey.
• Silver (Developing): for federations with an operational programme, including a public safeguarding policy, a formally appointed Safeguarding Officer, several reporting channels, Codes of Conduct and at least one education initiative each year.
• Gold (Established): for federations that lead by example, with regular policy reviews, advanced training for Safeguarding Officers, anonymous, confidential and public reporting options, safer recruitment, formal support for victims and public reporting of anonymised data.
Gold and Silver federations are invited to mentor those earlier in their journey, so that knowledge flows across the whole triathlon family.
This will be in effect in 2027 as part of our Safeguarding roll-out plan, that aims to increase the number of member federations with a safeguarding policy and programmes focusing primarily on prevention and raising awareness. According to the 2025 National Federations Survey, only 61 NFs (out of 168 members) reported having a safeguarding policy in place. World Triathlon will conduct a full review of the NF Safegurding polices to make sure that they meet minimum standards and requirements.
What the Guidelines cover
The document sets out the essential content of a national safeguarding programme from definitions and scope to sanctions, jurisdiction and reporting channels. It explains how to appoint an independent Safeguarding Officer, who must acknowledge every report within 96 hours, and how to respond when someone raises a concern. Further chapters cover education and prevention, athletes' welfare, online safety and the annual Safeguarding Survey as part of the World Triathlon National Federation Survey
The Guidelines also introduce the Safeguarding Point of Contact (SPOC), a trained, on-site contact for safeguarding concerns at World Triathlon Events, to be implemented at events from 2027.
The Guidelines were developed by World Triathlon and reviewed in their final phase by Laureus Sport for Good and Sport Resolutions, the independent body that manages safeguarding matters referred to TRI.
The Guidelines are available to all Members from today. National Federations can access free, open-access safeguarding courses on the TRI Education & Knowledge Hub, join TRI's Safeguarding Open Hours, request mentoring or one-to-one advice, and find the full framework at safeguarding.triathlon.org. For any further details, please contact us at wecare@triathlon.org.
