Although his and the UCI’s handling of the Lance Armstrong situation led to criticism from the World Anti Doping Agency and others, Pat McQuaid has said that the fight against doping is one of the issues he will focus on if he secures a third term as UCI president.
The 63-year-old secured the backing of Cycling Ireland at its board meeting at the Clarion hotel near Dublin airport yesterday, winning out after a divided board finally agreed to nominate him for a third term.
Reacting today, he stated that he was "delighted and honoured" to get the nomination. “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,” he added.
McQuaid needed nomination to be able to go forward to the UCI presidential elections in September. Had Cycling Ireland refused to back him, he could also have asked the Swiss federation to do so as he lives in that country. No challengers have emerged thus far but he could yet face opposition in his bid for a third term.
If he is successful, he said that he would focus on two main areas.
“I have set an ambitious agenda to continue developing the sport and to ensure that it remains at the forefront of the fight against doping in sport,” he stated. “I look forward to presenting myself for election with the support of my national federation and other federations worldwide.”
The Cycling Ireland board had initially been split over whether or not it would nominate him. Some of the factors are understood to have been the UCI’s handling of the doping issue, particularly in relation to Lance Armstrong, the fallout of the Armstrong and US Postal Service team investigation, and the decision earlier this year by the UCI to scrap the Independent Commission which it had originally said would fully investigate it.
McQuaid had previously faced calls for his resignation in relation to these issues, but said he had no intention of standing down.
Various concerns were raised by the undecided board members yesterday, but McQuaid spoke at length on why he should be backed again and was able to convince several of those who were undecided. Five out of the seven eligible to vote ultimately nominated him, with one declining to do so and one abstaining.
Those who backed him did so on the precondition that McQuaid would raise certain concerns on governance issues with the UCI management committee. The requests included an independent review of the system of internal controls and processes at the UCI plus engagement with stakeholders to re-write the existing governance code and the code of ethics.
In addition to that, Cycling Ireland has requested that future presidents should be limited to two terms, and that no president, vice-president or management committee member can in future serve the UCI for more than sixteen years in total.
Finally, it requested that co-opted management committee members would be permitted to vote on all matters which management committee members are entitled to vote. However, the language used in the Cycling Ireland press statement confirming the nomination appeared to be non-binding, with the UCI management committee being asked to consider tabling those issues at the UCI Congress in September, rather than having to implement them.
McQuaid is believed to have indicated to Cycling Ireland that if he secures a third term, that it would be his final four years as UCI president.
