Irish clubs starting to set out positions on UCI presidency prior to AGM, Orwell votes no
Re-elected in a secret ballot in St. Petersburg today, current UCI chief Pat McQuaid has secured a second term on the council of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF).
The Irishman will now serve a second four year term. He was one of four people going for three available places. He and Sergey Bubka (International Association of Athletics Federations) were both re-elected, while International Boxing Association President C. K. Wu joins the council for the first time.
McQuaid thanked those who voted him back in. His election means that he is both an ASOIF committee members and also a member of the International Olympic Committee.
“It is very important for cycling to be represented on these two bodies,” he said. “One of the pioneering sports at the Olympic Games, cycling now has four disciplines on the Olympic programme and as President of the UCI I wish to continue our contribution to the Olympic movement, its values and all that it stands for.”
Meanwhile one of the biggest cycling clubs in Ireland yesterday decided that it won’t give McQuaid its backing at Cycling Ireland’s June 15th EGM.
Cycling Ireland called the EGM in order to enable its members to decide whether or not it should nominate McQuaid for re-election in September.
Orwell Wheelers, which will have six delegates at the EGM due to its size, voted strongly against backing the current president, with the no votes exceeding yes by a ratio of six to one.
Other clubs will hold their own meetings prior to June 15th in order to receive instructions from their members as to which way they should vote at the EGM.
McQuaid sought nomination from CI earlier this year. Its board initially voted to back him but after a procedural error rendered that vote invalid, the federation opted to put the motion to an EGM rather than simply meeting again and voting him in once more.
McQuaid has essentially sought to sidestep the EGM process by requesting nomination from Swiss Cycling, the federation of the country he now resides in. On May 16th Swiss Cycling issued a statement saying that it would agree to the request, although VeloNation understands that this has been contested and there could be differing opinions in relation to the endorsement.
Cycling Ireland is continuing with its EGM and clubs are asked to attend and convey their position on the matter.