World Triathlon scored 210 out of 240 in the sixth edition of the benchmark, reaching the A1 group for the first time – at the lower threshold of a tier that expanded sharply this cycle
World Triathlon has been placed in the top governance group of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) for the first time, scoring 210 out of 240 in the sixth edition of ASOIF’s governance review, published on 10 June.
The result is a 12-point improvement on the federation’s 2024 assessment and moves it into Group A1, ASOIF’s highest governance category.
World Triathlon is one of 14 international federations in the group, alongside FIFA, FIBA, the UCI, World Athletics, World Aquatics and World Rugby. The full A1 list also includes BWF (badminton), the FEI (equestrian), FIVB (volleyball), the ITF (tennis), ITTF (table tennis), WBSC (baseball/softball) and World Rowing.
How the review works
The review is overseen by ASOIF’s Governance Task Force (GTF) and independently moderated by the sports governance consultancy I Trust Sport.
It assesses ASOIF’s 36 full and associate member federations against 60 indicators grouped into five sections: transparency, integrity, democracy, development and sustainability, and control mechanisms. Each indicator is scored from zero to four, for a theoretical maximum of 240.
ASOIF created the GTF in November 2015 and, at its general assembly the following April, mandated the first review of its then-28 member federations – a response, in ASOIF’s words, to the “growing exposure of cases of mismanagement” at major sports bodies during that period.
The first assessment was carried out in 2016-17. Federations have been sorted into ranked groups since the third review in 2020.
On a like-for-like basis, the average federation score rose from 104 out of 200 in the 2017 review to 163 in the 2024 edition, as more federations adopted audited accounts, term limits, safeguarding policies and whistleblowing mechanisms.
An expanding top tier
World Triathlon’s entry comes as the number of federations rated A1 doubled from seven to 14 this cycle, with seven new entrants joining the bodies which already held the rating; every federation in A1 in 2023-24 retained its place. World Aquatics recorded the largest single increase of any federation, up 24 points.
World Triathlon’s 210 places it at the entry point of the A1 band, which runs from 210 to 228. World Athletics topped the table on 228 and has now held A1 status across three consecutive reviews, having moved up in 2022. Across all 36 federations assessed, moderated scores ranged from 117 to 228.
The review has consistently found average scores rise with staff size – from 161 for federations with fewer than 10 staff to 219 for those with 120 or more – though a small number of mid-sized federations have been exceptions to that pattern. The score is decided on governance structures and policies a federation has in place, as measured against ASOIF’s indicators.
World Triathlon scored the highest of all federations for transparency. The body cites the publication of information on its structure, accounts, board decisions and disciplinary matters as reasons for its success. It also pointed to athlete representation in the federation’s governing bodies, its electoral systems, and work on safeguarding, conflict-of-interest procedures and gender equality.
“This recognition reflects the commitment that the entire triathlon family has demonstrated over many years to the highest standards of governance,” World Triathlon President Antonio Arimany said.
The commercial argument
Alongside the ASOIF result, Arimany set out the federation’s view that good governance delivers commercial and institutional benefits, describing it as “a fundamental pillar for the credibility, sustainability and growth” of a sports organisation.
He argues better-governed federations are more able to win the trust of sponsors, commercial partners and institutions, and pointed to the International Olympic Committee‘s (IOC) increasing focus on governance quality when it evaluates sports on the Olympic programme – a consideration that applies to triathlon, a core sport at the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
The ASOIF’s GTF chair Snežana Samardžić-Marković, a former director general of democracy at the Council of Europe, said strong internal governance had become “a competitive advantage” for federations operating in a low-trust environment.
Ratings are not permanent, however. ASOIF reassesses its members at each review, conducted roughly every two years, and Arimany says World Triathlon’s A1 entry is “not a destination” but a standard the federation will have to maintain.
