Former president of the International Cycling Union (UCI) Pat McQuaid says a highly critical report on doping within the sport does not reflect poorly on his tenure.
An investigation by the Cycling Independent Reform Commission found that decisions taken by UCI leadership in the past had "undermined" anti-doping efforts, and said its inactivity on the topic had an adverse effect on the organisation's credibility.
Despite the damning comments, Dublin native McQuaid, who stood over cycling's governing body between 2005 and 2013, contends that his legacy remains untarnished.
"The report completely clears me of any corruption, any wrongdoing or any complicity in doping," he told RTÉ radio this morning.
“Everybody knows the work that I have done to fight doping and the UCI is now one of the leading international federations in the fight against doping, and the legacy I have left behind there I am quite proud of,” he said.
McQuaid also denied there was any connection between him allowing Armstrong to return to racing 13 days early in the Santos Tour Down Under in 2009 and the American cyclist’s decision to participate in the subsequent Tour of Ireland.
McQuaid’s brother Darach was heavily involved in running the Irish event.
The inquiry, which involved interviews with 174 people over a 13 month period, focussed on the UCI's preferential relationship with disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong, and concluded that the former seven-time Tour de France champion was treated differently due to his huge commercial popularity.
Powerless
While intimating that high-ranking members of the UCI were aware of Armstrong’s involvement in doping, Mr McQuaid said his organisation was powerless to intervene given the absence of definitive evidence.
“It wasn’t a question of defending or protecting Lance Armstrong... we tested over 200 times and he never tested positive. Every police authority in the world knows who’s committing the crimes, but until they get evidence against them they can’t catch them.”
Although he admitted that mistakes were made over the course of his premiership, he was unable to pick out any specific examples.
“Hindsight is 20/20 vision. There are plenty of decisions I took during my time as president of the UCI that now, looking back on it, I would have done differently. That’s the same in any organisation and with any director.
“I can’t tell you what they were because I haven’t written down and thought about what they were at the moment.”
Mr McQuaid contended that efforts to combat doping in cycling were increased substantially during his time in charge.
