WTCS Samarkand becomes first event in 2026 to achieve World Triathlon Sustainable Event Certification
The 2026 WTCS Samarkand has earned silver certification from the World Triathlon Sustainable Event Programme, a historic milestone for the region and a huge achievement for the Uzbekistan Triathlon Federation. Held in April, the event achieved the certification in its first year as a championship series event by implementing a comprehensive sustainability plan aligned with challenging requirements of the programme. The achievement reflects the commitment from the Uzbekistan Triathlon Federation, staff, volunteers, and partners to delivering a championship event that minimises environmental impact whilst maximising community benefit.
The event demonstrated measurable sustainability impact across multiple areas. Organisers deployed electric golf carts, scooters, and boats to reduce operations emissions, and distributed water through refill stations and reusable bottles. Local suppliers were also prioritised to support social sustainability and reduce shipping emissions. A carbon footprint assessment using the World Triathlon Carbon Emissions Tool documented the event’s emissions, providing a baseline from which it can continue to improve in future years. Beyond environmental management, the event launched a women's participation initiative, conducted multilingual sustainability education programmes for stakeholders, and hosted a gear re-use programme, donating 20kg of sports equipment to regional children's sport programmes.
Samarkand's silver certification establishes a new benchmark for sustainability practices in sporting events across Central Asia. Future plans will continue to expand on the use of local sustainable suppliers, increase rail transportation, and strengthen reusable infrastructure, demonstrating that comprehensive sustainability can become an operational reality through collaboration, education, and long-term commitment.
