Cookson announces candidacy for UCI presidency

Current British Cycling Federation President Brian Cookson will run for UCI Presidency in September. Citing the current state of the UCI, Cookson’s No. 1 priority is to “to restore cycling’s credibility.” Cookson, who converted the bankrupt British Cycling Federation of 1996 into one of the strongest federations in the world, has already received plenty of flak, most notably a negative response from current UCI President Patrick McQuaid.

During the past eight months, the UCI has been accused of corruption and has been criticized because of the Lance Armstrong affair. Cookson wants to be engaged and take an active role that changes cycling for the better. He feels that it is cycling’s time to come to fore. “I want to be able to say to parents: ‘You can bring your children into this sport, you can take them all the way to the top of the sport, and they won’t have to make decisions that mean they’re going to have to cheat, are going to have to take substances that might damage their health and so on’,” said Cookson.

The call for truth and reconciliation by stakeholders in the pro cycling world in 2012 initially led to the establishment of an independent committee to investigate the UCI. However, the UCI had it disbanded. Current UCI president Patrick McQuaid adamantly denies all allegations and has expressed his interest many times in continuing his efforts to clean up cycling for good.

In a letter Pat McQuaid sent out to all of the presidents within the National Cycling Federations on Monday, he took aim at Cookson, questioning his motives. McQuaid even insinuated “underhand” happenings are occurring with the nomination of Brian Cookson. “I am very concerned that democracy is not served if underhand activities prompt individuals to run for presidency who otherwise might not have done so,” wrote McQaid. He concluded that same letter by saying, “I look forward to being judged by you, the global Cycling Family, for what I have objectively achieved for our sport over the past eight years, in particular on my record of successfully developing the sport throughout the world, the phenomenal success of cycling at the Olympic Games, as well as ensuring that the UCI has remained at the forefront of the fight against the scourge of doping in sport.”