States that proposed changes are ‘no more sensible than changing the rules of a bike race after the race has started’
USA Cycling president and CEO Steve Johnson has called for clear and transparent ethics in the UCI’s presidential election, saying that it is imperative for the future of the sport that everything is done by the rules at this period in time.
Johnson was responding to two developments this week in relation to the election. On Monday it emerged that the Malaysian cycling federation has proposed a change to the UCI’s constitution, seeking to allow presidential candidates to be nominated by any two federations. At the same time, the UCI has confirmed that Pat McQuaid has been nominated by the Moroccan and Thai federations.
The Irishman, who has been president for the past eight years, had lost his requested nomination from the Irish federation and sees his Swiss nomination under legal challenge.
Johnson is concerned at what he has seen unfold. “At this critical time for our sport, we must all stand together and demand strict adherence to the principles of integrity, fair play, transparency, ethical conduct, and good governance,” he stated.
“A dramatic midstream change to the procedures governing the ongoing election is inconsistent with these principles and no more sensible than changing the rules of a bike race after the race has started.”
The Malaysian proposal will be voted upon at the UCI’s congress at the end of September, where the future president will also be decided. If that proposal is approved, it will then be backdated and the previous closing date for nominations of June 29th will be moved to August 30th.
Brian Cookson, Pat McQuaid’s sole rival for the presidency, has blasted the developments this week.
“The efforts to change the nomination and electoral process announced last night on behalf of the UCI Director General are a clear sign of desperation from the incumbent President, Pat McQuaid,” he said yesterday, reacting to the news.
“This latest twist appears to be nothing more than a fraught attempt to undemocratically and unconstitutionally impact on the process while it is underway.”
McQuaid insists all is above board. “No one has changed the rules. No one has broken the rules,” he said yesterday.
“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,” he said, despite Article 51 of the UCI Constitution.
That states that ‘the candidates for the presidency shall be nominated by the federation of the candidate.”