August 30 - USA Triathlon announced today that Skip Gilbert, who led the campaign that ultimately led to Stephanie Streeter being forced to leave as head of the United States Olympic Committee  (USOC), is to step down as its chief executive.



The details of the reason for the departure remain shrouded in mystery after USA Triathlon refused to confirm whether Gilbert, 50, was leaving of his own free-will or had been fired.

"We thank Skip Gilbert for his years of service to triathlon during which the sport grew to unprecedented popularity in the United States and around the world," said USA Triathlon President Brian Harrington.

Tim Yount, the senior vice-president for sport development of USA Triathlon, will assume the role of acting executive director while a search committee seeks a replacement for Gilbert, Harrington announced.

It is a a role he also held for six months in 2004 after the resignation of Steven Locke, now USA Field Hockey’s executive director.

Gilbert, a former goalkeeper in the North American Soccer League with Tampa Bay Rowdies, is also the head of the United States' National Governing Board Council and chairman of the Association of Chief Executives for Sport, posts he may now have to step down from.

He used roles he used in spearheading an effort to have Streeter replaced as chief executive at the USOC following Chicago's failure last October to be awarded the 2016 Olympics.

Scott Blackmun replaced Streeter in January.

Under Gilbert, USA Triathlon's profits rose from $2.7 million (£1.7 million) to $6.8 million (£4.4 million) and its membership more than doubled to 134,942.

It also enjoyed a rise in sponsorships and an expansion in staff to about 50 employees, and it plans to move into new offices in Colorado Springs next month.

Last year, Gilbert’s total compensation package was $243,096 (£157,647), an increase of $12,188 (£7,903) from 2008.