It will be interesting to see if numbers recover in the next year or two. I let my Triathlon Scotland membership lapse after Covid because I wasn’t planning any racing. I renewed it towards the end of last year and will probably maintain it again now.
2 Likes
I think you may find TO numbers are fairly static over the last 15 years or so. I’ve been a TO for that long and getting TO coverage of events are still as difficult as they have always been. Not that many stick to being TOs for a long period and those that do are usually either retired or have their own businesses so they can devote time to it as after all we are volunteers who don’t get paid to do this. Those that drop out do so either for family reasons, retirement, can’t hack it or aren’t good enough to advance.
Where things have changed is the quality of TOs - training is now much better with clear pathways and the UK have a lot of WT qualified TOs at all 3 levels and are well respected on the international circuit.
3 Likes
so your telling no TO get any form of allowances or expenses paid for ?
i have absolutely no issue with Voulunteers without them all amateur sports would not happen
1 Like
that’s almost the BTF now…self preservation comes first…
2 Likes
one day the BTF will wake up to that…
3 Likes
depends on event.
For UK events we get a small fixed amount from the EO for our services and that amount will depend on the type of event and what role we had - as a Chief TO at a major event (Champ, Qualifier etc) that’s £70 and been that way for years. We can only claim mileage if over 100 miles travel. And this is assuming the EO coughs up - we sometimes have to fight for this. Overnight accommodation isn’t offered in the vast majority of cases.
For international events we get no fee, have to pay our own travel expenses but we will get offered accomodation and meals as part of the package.
Technical Delegates for major WT/ET events get travel paid as well but their time investment for an event is huge.
For the very biggest events - Olympics and Commies - a full package of travel and accomodation is offered and a per diem rate but that comes from the organising committees.
Put it this way you don’t become a TO for the money!!
4 Likes
Nor a TM!!
Although I think they do better…
3 Likes
so you do get some paid for your services then ! ( no issue with)
volunteer = a person who does a job without being paid for it
I guess using your argument then yes - but it nowhere near covers the time or expense involved.
1 Like
I don’t agree with this tbh. A volunteer should be no worse off for volunteering, so I’d expect at least their travel expenses to be covered, and a sandwich.
5 Likes
On the odd occasion when we get teas, coffees and a bacon butty offered FOC it does help but many times there is nothing.
3 Likes
Im a swimming official, we spend 2 days in extreme temperatures 
, get a nice lunch put on but thats it, even buy our own kit. Even the referee is a full volunteer and they spend years to get there, essentially are responsible for whole event, results (auto timing system/manual back ups), placings, overseing dqs to make sure written up correctly and most of whoms kids are long gone from the sport due to the time getting to that level. Just getting my J1 signed off took a year! J2 another year, J2S (starters) is a bit easier, and then referee training is after, all with minimum hours before moving up.
L1 galas need probably 30 officials! Even L3 might need ~20!
4 Likes
I’ve volunteered at over 20 races, including IMs and HIMs, never really had anything more than a crap t-shirt and a snack lunch and not always that.
On one occasion at the Canberra HIM where they needed a bike marshall who had done the race before, I was paid some petrol money but that’s all.
TBH, at the big races, it was never to help the race, it was a more a sense of ‘help my mates’.
3 Likes
Very similar to triathlon TOs - takes a long time to get to the top (WT Level 3) and not every TO is suited to that as the roles at that level are very demanding on time and ability.
3 Likes
How is the payment set up that it’s outside the minimum wage legislation?
3 Likes
They’re claimed as expenses and not income
4 Likes
But they’re not legitimate expenses are they, it certainly looks like an approach to avoid minimum wage legislation for the organisation and issues for the individual if they’re on benefits etc. Pretty clear that expenses have to be actually incurred
Also perhaps off payroll working, as I don’t think a TO would meet those regs either.
Most sporting bodies are careful of this and say no, surprised triathlon is running the risk!
3 Likes
There have been discussions over this matter at various times in recent years but no decent proposals have been forthcoming about any changes.
Also the expenses for local events are not paid by the BTF (or it’s constituent bodies) but are claimed from the EO - perhaps different rules apply for this arrangement. For events organised by the BTF (usually major events such as Leeds/Sunderland and Swansea WT events) different rules apply and we claim travel expenses only and any accomodation/meals are picked up direct by the BTF.
I prefer not to get involved with the whys and wherefores of this and just let others with more knowhow to resolve what needs resolving.
3 Likes
This might boost TA’s numbers.
https://wtcs.triathlon.org/news/article/wollongong_aus_confirmed_as_host_of_2025_world_triathlon_championship_final
4 Likes