| Age | The age of the athlete on the 31st of December of the year of the competition. |
|---|---|
| Age-Group Team Managers Briefing | event. |
| Aid/Outside Assistance | Any kind of material support or personal assistance received by the athlete. Depending on its nature, it may be allowed or forbidden. |
| Ambush Marketing | Deliberately using the opportunity of live television and media photographers to expose the sponsor logos larger than the approved sizes, and/or equipment or objects not provided by Local Organising Committee or World Triathlon. |
| Appeal | A request for a review of a decision made by the Competition Jury or the World Triathlon Technical Committee (Level 2 Appeal), the World Triathlon Anti-Doping Hearing Panel solely with regard to ineligibility or the World Triathlon Tribunal. |
| Appellant | An athlete submitting an appeal. |
| Aquabike | Multisport which combines swim and cycle in two segments: the first segment is swimming and finishing with cycling. |
| Aquathlon | Multisport which combines swim and run in three segments: the first segment is run, followed by swimming and finishing with running. |
| Assistance | Any attempt by an unauthorised or unofficial source to help or to stabilise an athlete. |
| Assistant Chief Technical Official | Responsible to the Chief Technical Official for coordinating the employment of the Technical Officials assigned to his/her competition course segment or area. |
| Athletes | Individuals who register for and compete in events. |
| Athletes' Briefing | Meeting with the athletes in which they are informed by the Technical Delegate about all the specifications of the event. |
| Bag Drop System | Conducting transitions by: Taking a pre-prepared bag containing all equipment to be used in the next segment; Changing the equipment in the designated area; Put all the used equipment into the same bag and drop it at the designated spot. |
| Bicycle | The bicycle is a human powered vehicle with two wheels of equal diameter. The front wheel shall be steerable; the rear wheel shall be driven through a system comprising pedals and a chain. Bicycles are also referred to as bikes. |
|---|---|
| Bike catchers | Local Organising Committee personnel located after the dismount line, who take the bikes from the athletes and deliver them to the location from where the athletes can collect them after the competition. |
| Blocking | The deliberate impeding or obstructing the progress of one athlete by another or an athlete on the bike course, who is not keeping to the appropriate side of the road. |
| Blue card | Card, which is used to inform athletes when being penalised for drafting infringement during the cycling segment. |
| Charge | The contacting of one athlete by another from the front, rear or side, and hindering that athlete's progress. |
| Check in | Control established at the entrance of the athletes lounge and at the entrance of the transition area, before the competition. In both places a time of admission is set by the Technical Delegate. |
| Chief Race Official | Appointed by the Technical Delegate and is responsible for the control and coordination of the deployment of Technical Officials. |
| Clean Start | All the athletes start after the horn. The competition continues. |
| Coaches meeting | Meeting with the coaches in which they are informed by the Technical Delegate about all the specifications of the event. |
| Comfortable satisfaction | Situation, which is greater than a mere balance of probability, but less than proof beyond a reasonable doubt. |
| Competition | Single and continuous sport action from start to finish. Most cases it fits within the definition of Race, except the semi-final/final or the time trial qualifying format. |
| Competition Jury | The Competition Jury appointed and chaired by the Technical Delegate. It is held responsible to determine the eligibility of the protest, to hear and to rule on all protests against decisions handed down through the Head Referee. |
| Conflict of interest | A set of circumstances that creates a risk that professional judgement or actions regarding a primary interest will be unduly influenced by a secondary interest. |
| Continent | Each of the five geographical divisions established in World Triathlon. They are: Africa, The Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania |
| Continental Technical Officials (CTOs) | The Level 2 Technical Officials certified by World Triathlon. |
|---|---|
| Course | A forward line of progress from start to finish, which must be clearly marked and measured to prescribed specifications. |
| Crawling | The action by an athlete of bringing three or more limbs in contact with the ground, either together or in any sequence, to enable forward propulsion. |
| Cycling Segment | Part of the competition course over which it has been defined in the Athletes' Briefing the bike is to be ridden, walked or carried within distinctive lane boundaries. The bike course commences from the Mount Line and concludes at the Dismount Line. |
| Development Regional Cup | Event sanctioned by World Triathlon or any of the Continental Confederations, where World Triathlon may allow the participation of athletes only from certain predefined National Federations. |
| Dismount Before The Dismount Line | An athlete's foot must contact the ground before the dismount line after the athlete dismounts the bike. If this contact doesn't occur, it is considered an infringement of the rules. |
| Dismount Line | A designated line at the entrance of the transition area from the bike course before which athletes are to dismount their bikes fully and proceed to the bike racks. The Dismount Line will normally extend for the width of the entrance to the transition area and be identified by flags/line/Technical Official, or combinations thereof. |
| Disqualification | A penalty assigned as appropriate for the rule violation, which has been reported, or for which a protest has been upheld. As a result of this penalty, the athlete will not be given finish or split times for the event, no account will be taken of the athlete when placings are assessed for any category or for the competition as a whole, and the athlete's results will appear as DSQ |
| Draft Zone. Bicycle | Zone defined by an athlete during the cycling segment which is extended to the whole width of the road and 12 meters. |
| Draft Zone. Motorbike | Zone defined by a motorbike during the cycling segment which is extended to the whole width of the road and 20 meters long. |
| Draft Zone. Vehicle | Zone defined by a vehicle during the cycling segment which is extended to the whole width of the road and 35 meters long. |
| Drafting | To enter in a drafting zone and not complete the overtake in 25 seconds. |
| Duathlon | Multisport which combines cycle and run in three segments: the first segment is running, followed by cycling and finishing with running. |
| Early start | When an athlete's foot crossed the vertical plane of the start line, before the start signal. |
|---|---|
| Elite Athlete | Athletes competing in World Triathlon Elite competitions. They are limited to compete in the same multisport and in the same distance during the same calendar year. This Elite condition is synonymous to Pro condition used by various commercial organisations. |
| Elite competitions | Competitions in which elite specific rules are applied. The age limit is determined only by the distance. |
| Event | Group of Races of the same category usually happening on the same day or on the following days (i.e.: World Championship, Continental Cup). |
| Event Organisers Manual (EOM) | A document which has been developed to ensure the implementation of consistently high global event management and marketing standards. |
| Event-weekend | The days when an event is taking place, which may include days other than Saturday and Sunday. |
| Exceptional situation | Unusual, adverse, or extreme circumstances that deviate significantly from the normal expectations of a race. These conditions can affect athlete safety, race logistics, or the fairness of the competition. |
| Expulsion | An athlete penalised by expulsion will not be permitted, during his or her lifetime, to take part in any World Triathlon sanctioned event, or any event sanctioned by one of its member associations (National Federation) affiliated with the the World Triathlon. |
| Festival | Group of different multisport events happening in a short period of time (up to ten days) at the same location. |
| Field of Play (FOP) | The course on which the competition will take place, the start and pre start areas, the finish and post finish areas, the aid stations, the wheel stops, the penalty boxes, the ceremony area and the briefing area. Usually the field of play is separated from the public by a clear boundary. |
| Field of Play Decision | The application and interpretation of the World Triathlon Competition Rules by Technical Officials and/or Competition Jury. |
| Final | Last round of an event in qualifying round format. The final decides the winner and the medallist of the event. |
| Finisher | An athlete who completes the entire competition course within the rules and crosses the finish line, or a vertical extension of the forward edge of the finish line, with any part of the torso (i.e. as distinct from the head, neck, arms, legs, hands or feet). |
| Force Majeure | Action of the elements, strike, lockout or other industrial disturbance, unlawful act against public order or authority, war blockade, public riot, lightning, fire or explosion, storm, flood, blacklisting, boycott or sanctions |
| however incurred, freight embargo, significant transportation delay or any other, event which is not reasonably within the control of the party affected. | |
|---|---|
| Head Referee | A Technical Official, who is responsible to the Technical Delegate to hear and make final decisions on all rules violations reported by Technical Officials. Technical Delegate appoints the Head Referee. |
| Incapable Athlete | An athlete deemed by race medical staff as not being able to continue the event without the likelihood of causing injury to him/herself or another athlete. |
| Indecent Exposure | The wilful uncovering of either or both buttocks, or of the pubic area or of the genital area. In addition, in the case of a female athlete, the wilful complete uncovering of one or both nipples. |
| Inland Water | Lakes, lochs, canals and rivers up to the point the tide affects them in terms of changes to their level. |
| Interference | A deliberate block, charge or abrupt motion, which impedes another athlete. |
| International Technical Officials (ITOs) | The Level 3 Technical Officials certified by World Triathlon. |
| Invalid Start | Some athletes start clearly before the horn and some others stay behind the start line. The start is not clean and is declared invalid. |
| Last Biker - First Runner Scenario | This occurs when the bike and run courses are partly common, and the first runner reaches the point where both courses merge and there are still bikers on the course before this point. |
| Leg | In the relay a leg is one athlete's triathlon race. |
| Littering Area | Section of the race where the athletes are allowed to dispose any rubbish or equipment. |
| Local Organising Committee (LOC) | The organising entity of a World Triathlon event. |
| Medal Events (Para triathlon) | A competition, which may include athletes from one or more sport classes competing for the same medals. |
| Mount After The Mount Line | An athlete's foot must contact the ground past the mount line, before the athlete mounts the bike. If this contact doesn't occur, it is considered an infringement of the rules. |
| Mount Line | A designated line at the exit from the transition area onto the bike course or after which athletes are to mount their bicycles and proceed. The Mount Line will normally extend for the width of the exit of the transition |
| area and be identified by flags/line/Technical Official, or combinations thereof. | |
|---|---|
| National Federation Quota | The maximum quota allocated to a National Federation in a specific competition. |
| NF survey list | List including all World Triathlon affiliated NEs based on their survey responses and historical data. National Federations are included in different groups representing their levels of development. Groups are 0, 1, 2, 3B, 3A, 4 and 5, being 0 the less developed and 5 the most developed. |
| National Technical Officials (NTOs) | The Level 1 Technical Officials certified by the National Federation. |
| Overtake | On the bike course, when the leading edge of the front wheel of the overtaking bike moves in front of the leading edge of the front wheel of the bike being overtaken. An athlete can pass another athlete only on the appropriate side. |
| Panel | A temporary or permanent body composed by minimum three (3) people representing pre-defined stakeholders, which takes decisions or makes proposals in specific tasks. |
| Pass | When one athlete's bike draft zone overlaps another athlete's bike draft zone, makes continual forward progress through that zone and overtakes within a maximum period of 25 seconds. |
| Penalty | The consequence on an athlete, who is assessed by a World Triathlon Technical Official to have unintentionally committed a rule infringement/violation. A penalty may take the form of a time delay, disqualification, suspension or expulsion. |
| Penalty box | An area on the bike course or the run course, set aside for the implementation of a time penalty for a rule infringement/violation. |
| Pre-Transition Area | A designated space close to the swim exit that accommodates the specific needs to get the transition area. This area is intended to ensure fairness, accessibility, and safety while allowing para triathletes to manage equipment or perform additional preparatory tasks specific to their classifications. Applies to Para Triathlon events |
| Prosthesis | An artificial device used to replace a missing body part. |
| Protest | A formal complaint for grounds listed in 12.2. |
| Race | A competition or group of competitions, which determine a winner, the medals and a result list. In the case of Para triathlon, this is named as "Medal Event" (i.e.: elite men's race, 50-54 women). |
| Red card | Card, which is used to inform athletes about disqualification. |
| Region | Group of National Federations, from the same or different continents, linked by geographical or cultural reasons. |
|---|---|
| Registration | Point of control established at the entrance of athletes briefing and coaches meeting. Attenders to these meetings will sign the attendance list. |
| Results | The timed finish positions of all athletes after violation reports have been ruled on, protests and appeals have been heard, and penalties have been awarded. |
| Round | Each of the stages of an event with qualifying format. One event in the qualifying round format has two rounds: semi-finals and final. |
| Run Course | Part of the competition course, which has been defined at the Athletes' Briefing where the athlete is to run or walk within distinctive lane boundaries. In triathlons and aquathlons, the run course commences at the exit from the transition area and concludes at the Finish Line. In duations the fraunion duathlons, the first run course commences at the start line and finishes at the entry to the transition area; the second run course commences at the exit from the transition area and concludes at the Finish Line. |
| Sanction | A permit issued by the National Federation for the conduct of an event. The issue of such a permit is a declaration by the sanctioning authority that plans for the event have been thoroughly inspected and have been found to comply fully with the requirements of National Federation operating requirements to provide the greatest potential for the conduct of a safe and fair event. |
| Sea and Transition Water | Ocean, seas and the part of the river affected by the tides, including river mouths, deltas, estuaries and rias. |
| Segment | A stage of competition. E.g.: A triathlon competition consists of 5 segments: swim, transition 1, bike, transition 2 and run. |
| Semi-final | Preliminary round of an event in qualifying round format. The semi-finals determine the athletes qualified to the final. |
| Smart Helmet | Bike helmet with a built-in sound system covering or not covering the ears. |
| Sorted Waiting List | A list of athletes not yet included in the start list, ordered according to the specific qualification criteria. |
| Sport Class | Para triathlon sport class is a category defined by World Triathlon in which athletes are categorised in reference to an activity limitation resulting from impairment. |
| Sportsmanship | The behaviour of an athlete during competition. Sportsmanship is interpreted as fair, rational and courteous behaviour, while bad sports conduct is any behaviour judged to be unfair, unethical or dishonest, a |
| violent act, intentional misconduct, abusive language, intimidating behaviour, or persistent infringement of the rules. | |
|---|---|
| Standard Bridge Piece | A rigid piece of plastic or metal, which joins both sides of the handlebar clip-on at the ends and is commercially available. |
| Start List | A list of athletes approved to compete in a competition. |
| Start Wave | A group of athletes starting together at the same time. A start wave can include different races (i.e.: different Para triathlon Sport Classes, or different Age-Groups), but also a race can be split into different Start Waves (i.e.: Age-Group 20-24A and Age-Group 20-24B). |
| Stop and Go | Penalty consists of stop, correct the fault and continue the competition. |
| Suspension | An athlete awarded this penalty will not be permitted during the stated suspension period, to take part in any event sanctioned by World Triathlon or its member associations (where determined) affiliated with World Triathlon. For any suspension because of a doping violation, the athlete will not be able to compete in any IOC affiliated sport at any local, regional, state, national or international level. The suspension period may vary in length, depending on the severity of the violation. In the case of a suspension imposed by World Triathlon, the length of the suspension will be determined by the World Triathlon Tribunal. |
| Swim Course | Part of the competition course over which it has been defined in the Athletes' Briefing that the athlete is to swim within distinctive lane boundaries. In triathlons and aquathlons, the swim course commences at the start line and concludes at the water's edge/exit prior to entry to the transition area. |
| Technical Delegate | A Technical Official, who is qualified by World Triathlon, and responsible for ensuring all aspects of the World Triathlon Competition Rules and World Triathlon Event Organisers' Manual are fulfilled in preparation for, during, and after the event. Where appeals are lodged, the Technical Delegate will be the Chair of the Competition Jury. The Technical Delegate will normally be responsible for conducting or overseeing the conduct of event sanctioning. |
| Technical Official | A member of the joint team of International Technical Officials (ITOs), Continental Technical Officials (CTOs) and National Technical Officials (NTOs) at a World Triathlon event. |
| Time Penalty | Time Penalty requires an athlete to stop for a specified period of time at a specified location. |
| Torso | The human body excluding the neck, the head and the limbs. |
| Transition Area | A location within a defined boundary, which is not a part of the swim course, the bike course or the run course and within which each athlete is |
| allocated an area for the storage of individual items of clothing and equipment. | |
|---|---|
| Triathlon | A sport of individual or team character and motivation, which combines swimming, cycling and running skills in continuum. |
| Valid Start with Early Starters | Start in which few athletes started before the signal. Early starters will receive a time penalty in Transition 1. |
| Venue | All warm-up and competition areas, the air space above such areas, official hotel, broadcasters, press and media areas, sport expo area, contiguous areas, including without limitation spectators' area, VIP areas, transition area, finish area and all other areas under control of Local Organising Committee. |
| Violation | A rule infringement which results in a penalty. |
| Waiting List | A list of athletes not yet included in the start list before the creation of the start list. |
| Warning | A caution issued by a Technical Official to an athlete during the course of a competition. The purpose of a warning is to alert the athlete of the potential for a rule violation to occur and to promote a proactive attitude. |
| Winter Triathlon | Multisport which combines different winter sports. It may have two different formats, either starting with running on snow, followed by cycling on snow and finishing with cross country skiing, or starting with snowshoeing followed by skating on ice and finishing with cross country skiing. |
| World Triathlon Competition Rules | The document that contains all the rules and regulations that govern fair and safe competitions. |
| World Triathlon Members | The National Federation(s) which have been admitted to membership of World Triathlon as described in Art 5 of the Constitution, also known as Member National Federations, in accordance with the Constitution. |
| World Triathlon Rules | The World Triathlon Constitution, Codes, Rules and Regulations, directives, and decisions. |
| Yellow card | Card, which is used to inform athletes about infringements which may result in warning, time penalty or stop and go. |