Sport

Swiss endorse McQuaid for further term at UCI helm

President claims nomination through Cycling Ireland has become ‘politicised’

Pat McQuaid’s bid for a further term as UCI president has been endorsed by Switzerland’s national cycling body. Photograph: Tim Ireland/PA
Pat McQuaid’s bid for a further term as UCI president has been endorsed by Switzerland’s national cycling body. Photograph: Tim Ireland/PA
Thu May 16 2013 - 11:31

Pat McQuaid’s bid for a further term as president of cycling’s world governing body has been endorsed by Switzerland as the Irishman swerved his compatriots.

The UCI president's nomination by Ireland is being scrutinised and will be the subject of an emergency general meeting in Dublin next month after his perceived leadership failings, including the Lance Armstrong doping scandal.

Rather than risk losing his post, McQuaid has now been nominated by the Swiss, a move made possible because the UCI is based in Aigle and he has lived there since taking up the presidency eight years ago.

In a UCI statement, McQuaid said: “I am delighted that the board of Swiss Cycling has endorsed my nomination.

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“I put myself forward to serve another term as UCI president on my record of developing the sport throughout the world and on combating the scourge of doping in cycling.

“I have an ambitious agenda to continue developing the sport. I look forward to presenting myself for election with the support of Swiss Cycling and other federations worldwide.

“I took up residency in Switzerland in 2005 when I assumed the role of UCI president and I have had a long association with Swiss Cycling.

“It has become clear that my nomination in Ireland has been politicised by a small group of people.

“However, I have received a wealth of letters from national federations all around the world urging me to stand for president again and I strongly believe that it should be for our national federations around the world to decide democratically on their next president.”

A statement on www.cycling.ch read: “The executive board of Swiss Cycling has at its extraordinary meeting on May 13 unanimously passed the following orders: after taking note of a letter and request of Pat McQuaid, president of UCI, and members of Swiss Cycling, the board has decided to approve his application for candidacy via Swiss Cycling, and approve his re-election as president of the UCI.

“The decision was taken in accordance with the principles of Swiss Cycling to hand a sitting president the opportunity to present himself again for the attention of the delegates for a possible re-election.”