Courtesy: USAT

As directed by a U.S. Olympic Committee Blue Ribbon Panel, the USA Triathlon Board of Directors has named six people to an election task force that will review USAT's Board election procedures and recommend changes to improve the system.

The members of the task force are current Board member Tim Becker, former Board president and current USAT Legal Committee co-chair Mike Highfield, former elite athlete and current coach Wes Hobson, USAT Legal Committee co-chair Markham Leventhal, elite athlete Michael Smedley and current Board member Jack Weiss.

This task force will review USA Triathlon's Board election procedures and will issue its report and recommendations by a Sept. 1, 2004 deadline.

The actual wording of the decision reads:

"The Panel further directs that within 10 days of being seated, the new Board shall appoint a task force of at least three individuals to review USAT's election process. Any such task force shall have a least 20 percent athlete participation. USAT shall post the names of the task force on USAT's web site. The task force shall review USAT's election rules and procedures and make a report and recommendation to USAT's Board and membership as to how those rules and procedures can be improved. The report and recommendation should be concluded by Sept. 1, 2004. The task force should consider how to best eliminate the current USAT practice of having the Board promulgate new election rules prior to each election. The report and recommendations of the task force shall be posted on USAT's web site."

"If new election rules and procedures are not in place in time for the Fall 2004 election, then that election shall be conducted pursuant to the same rules and procedures set forth by the Panel in this Decision. Except that the Nominating Committee shall determine new dates appropriate for the election process."