No touching! UCI bans hugs from the finish line

On Mar. 8, the UCI officially released a statement concerning celebratory hugs between riders and team members at the finish line. While the organization says it takes “no pleasure” in the announcement, it has updated its protocol to ask riders to respect virus spread preventative measures and refrain from hugging teammates and staff members.

On Mar. 5, UCI medical boss Xavier Bigard said in a health and safety seminar that while the risk of infection from hugs is low, as teams should be in very strict bubbles at races, the ban is a means of sending the right message to viewers.

“As a doctor, I can say that the risk of becoming infected by hugging is not particularly high,” he said. “However, it is all about the message we want to send to the world, and more specifically to cycling fans. Namely that it is forbidden to touch other people if we want to stop the virus.”

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Other televised sports such as soccer and ruby have put in similar measures, designed to set examples for the public.

No sanctions

“Demonstrations of joy and congratulation are spontaneous and natural, and are part of the beauty of our sport,” says the organization, but, “due to the current pandemic it is essential to temporarily modify certain habits so that we can get back to normal as quickly as possible.”

The measure will be mandatory when there is a ‘moderate’ or ‘low’ risk in terms of pandemic severity. There will be no sanctions for huggers—the measures are part of a number of new coronavirus protocols the organization is putting in place.

The UCI says that, “this change which is common sense and in line with our desire to ensure our sport is exemplary in these difficult times.”