Editing Triathlon (section)

=== A global federation ===
The  first attempt to create a global triathlon entity was the Triathlon Federation International (TFI), it had only 22 members, most of which were national European federations. But immediately, fights of influences broke out between the European and UK-American federations over many issues, particularly in view of a favourable vote system for the ETU; this caused immediate fracturing and the TFI never fully establish itself.<ref name=":02" />

Around the same time, Canadian [[Les McDonald (triathlon)|Les McDonald]] held talks with [[Juan Antonio Samaranch]], then president of the [[International Olympic Committee]]. Samaranch had already declared his intention to add triathlon to the Olympic Games as fast as possible, and assured that triathlon could appear as a demonstration sport at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, but only under the auspices of the [[Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne|International Union of Modern Pentathlon and Biathlon]] (UIPMB).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fftri.com/la-federation/historique/|title=Historique de Triathlon 1994|website=FFTRI|language=fr-FR|archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20160106140022/http://fftri.com/lhistoire-du-triathlon|archive-date=6 January 2016|access-date=10 February 2019}}</ref><ref name=":12">{{Cite web|url=https://www.triathlon.org/about|title=Inside ITU|last=Union|first=International Triathlon|website=Triathlon.org|language=en|access-date=1 February 2019}}</ref> Many within the triathlon community were unhappy with the arrangement, wishing for their own federation not to be held as part of UIPMB. Unable to accept the offer, Samaranch established an Olympic working committee for triathlon in an effort to form a consensus on an Olympic route for the sport. McDonald was selected as president of the committee, while Sweden's Sture Jonasson was elected as secretary.<ref name=":12" />

Then in February 1989, an informal meeting was held in [[Vancouver]], [[Canada]], where members of the working committee worked nonstop for a week on the statutes and regulations of the future [[International Triathlon Union]] (ITU). Then on 1 April 1989, 30 national federations attended the first ITU Congress in [[Avignon]], France. After further discussions on the way forward to reach the Olympics, including the refusal to follow the path of the UIPMB and how triathlon should develop both economically and as a sport, the Congress endorsed the creation of the ITU and elected its first executive committee. McDonald was elected president. The city of Avignon was also given the honour of hosting the first world championship.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fftri.com/la-federation/historique/|title=Historique de Triathlon 1989|website=FFTRI|language=fr-FR|archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20160106140022/http://fftri.com/lhistoire-du-triathlon|archive-date=6 January 2016|access-date=10 February 2019}}</ref>

In 1991, the IOC recognized the ITU as the sole governing body for the sport of triathlon at its 97th session in [[Birmingham]], UK.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|url=http://usatriathlon.org/content/index/1691|archive-url=https://archive.today/20090125081125/http://usatriathlon.org/content/index/1691|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 January 2009|title=History of Triathlon {{!}} Content {{!}} USA Triathlon|date=25 January 2009|website=archive.li|access-date=7 February 2019}}</ref> In 1993, the [[Pan American Games]] approved triathlon for competition at the 1995 Pan Am Games in [[Mar del Plata]], Argentina. Then in September 1994, triathlon was added to the Olympic program as a medal earning sport at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.<ref name=":5" />