Sport

Pat McQuaid insists he has not changed UCI rules

Timing of electoral reform ‘unconscionable, unethical, dishonest, unprofessional, manipulative and destructive’

UCI president Pat McQuaid has defended an attempt to alter the UCI election process. Photograph: Bryn Lennon/Getty Images
UCI president Pat McQuaid has defended an attempt to alter the UCI election process. Photograph: Bryn Lennon/Getty Images
Wed Jul 31 2013 - 15:10

British Cycling's chairman has formally objected to an attempt to change the election procedure for the presidency of the International Cycling Union (UCI) and branded the move a "sign of desperation". Brian Cookson is challenging current president Pat McQuaid who did not received the required backing from his own federation Cycling Ireland.

Now however, the UCI’s rulebook is set to be changed to allow candidates to be nominated by two other federations even if they are not supported by their own country. This would come into force retrospectively allowing McQuaid to stand.

Cookson responded today saying: “The efforts to change the nomination and electoral process announced last night... are a clear sign of desperation from the incumbent president, Pat McQuaid.

British Cycling’s chairman Brian Cookson has formally objected to an attempt to change the election procedure for the presidency of the International Cycling Union (UCI) and branded the move a “sign of desperation”. Photograph: Jon Buckle/PA Wire
British Cycling’s chairman Brian Cookson has formally objected to an attempt to change the election procedure for the presidency of the International Cycling Union (UCI) and branded the move a “sign of desperation”. Photograph: Jon Buckle/PA Wire

“This latest twist appears to be nothing more than a fraught attempt to undemocratically and unconstitutionally impact on the process while it is underway. “It is no wonder that many in the cycling family as well as fans and sponsors have lost faith in the UCI to govern ethically when the man at the top of the organisation is prepared to embarrass an entire sport in an attempt to try and cling onto power.

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“What sort of organisation attempts to rewrite the rules once an election has actually begun — it smacks of attempted dictatorship.”

Cookson has written formally to the UCI’s director general Christophe Hubschmid objecting to the attempts to change the rules. Mike Plant, the former head of US Cycling and also a UCI management committee member, has also written to Hubschmid to complain.

His letter states: "The timing of this significant change to the presidential nomination process, less than 60 days from a very contested, globally visible and important election is unconscionable, unethical, dishonest, unprofessional, manipulative and destructive." The rule change has been put forward by the Malaysian Federation on the basis that it will take effect retrospectively, allowing McQuaid to stand and be nominated by the Thailand, Moroccan and Swiss federations.

The UCI president responded by saying he welcomed the fact he had been nominated by three federations and insisted no rules had been broken.

McQuaid said in a statement: “No one has changed the rules. No one has broken the rules. I have received enormous support from federations around the world urging me to stand for re-election and expressing their hope that I will continue on as UCI president. These nominations are a testament to that.

“There was nothing stopping Brian Cookson from showing an interest in cycling around the world over the years by joining other federations that would have allowed him to secure additional nominations when he decided to stand for president.

“I respect that his horizons however do not stretch much further than British Cycling and that his home is where his heart and ambitions as a presidential candidate lie,” he added.

Speaking to RTE Radio this morning, McQuaid insisted he had not gone looking for the nominations.

“I have not solicited this at all,” he told Myles Dungan on The Pat Kenny Show. “When the Malaysian federation saw what was happening back in January with myself and the Irish federation, they felt it was wrong. They decided to put that proposal forward. The UCI Congress will decide if they want to accept that proposal or not. I could not say I do not want to put that proposal on the agenda.”