"We are very saddened that even some founder members feel the need to form their own organisation because they find themselves within a minority after a proper democratic process," Erika Koenig-Zenz, the ETU secretary general, said on behalf of the organisation's executive board.
"But the ETU still has a responsibility to ensure that we protect the interests of all our 39 member federations and every individual triathlete in Europe. These breakaway nations owe the ETU tens of thousands of euros, money which we need to help to develop the sport.
"The eight member federations will receive a letter from the ETU's lawyers next week which will make them fully aware that their actions also have some very expensive financial consequences."
Britain, Spain, Switzerland, France, Monaco, Denmark, Greece and Italy announced on December 7 that they would unilaterally withdraw from the ETU to form their own organisation, in a move orchestrated by the world
governing body, the Canadian-based International Triathlon Union (ITU).
The ITU is presently awaiting the outcome of a court case in Vancouver, brought by Ireland and Germany and four other national triathlon federations, in which it is alleged that the world governing body and its president, Les McDonald, deliberately fixed the voting at the ITU Congress earlier this year. A decision from the Supreme Court of British Columbia is expected imminently.
The European Triathlon Union (ETU) says it is prepared to take legal action to recover the debts owed by the eight national triathlon federations, which last week announced the unsanctioned formation of the breakaway Triathlon Council for Europe.
