something that bugs me more than it should

If there is an article about the triathlon, which there usually is as far as I can tell, then 90% of the time that article will claim that triathlon is the fastest growing sport in the world. This has been the case for three years to my certain knowledge and I am pretty sure for five years. Quite apart from the fact that it is an absurd claim full stop, it's never fixed to any external standard. It is a very minor rhetorical datum of the swan-and-broken-arm variety. This does not make it evil. But it drives me crazy.