(ATR) As the UCI delegates prepare to descend on Florence for Friday’s presidential election, their thoughts lie not just with the immediate future of the presidency but with the future of the organization as a whole.
Around the Rings reached out to a number of the 42 delegates over the past week for their thoughts on the two candidates, sitting president Pat McQuaid of Ireland and challenger Brian Cookson, the current president of British Cycling.
Though many were reticent about tipping their hand prior to Friday, those with whom we spoke seemed ready to move on from what Royal Dutch Cycling Union chairman Marcel Wintels called a "very regrettable" campaign.
"I should say that the current election campaign is damaging the image of both candidates, the UCI and the sport of cycling," said Wintels, one of Europe’s 14 delegates. "It’s more about changing the rules, manipulating the process, allegations, lies, personal attacks...than about the real problems and challenges facing our sport."
Wintels’s thoughts were echoed in part by fellow delegate Dom Sansom. The president of Cycling Fiji hopes the next leader will "work hard to build confidence so we can get back to, and concentrate on, cycling."
Some, like Harald Tiedemann Hansen, president of the Norwegian Cycling Federation, see McQuaid as a controversial figure.
"I’m very concerned about the ‘thunderstorm’ around McQuaid’s person," wrote Hansen in an email to ATR. "Unfortunately, I am not sure it will subside."
Though they declined to answer questions, the Luxembourg Cycling Sports Federation sent ATR a brief statement saying "only one [candidate] fulfills the requirement," seemingly making their position clear on the embattled McQuaid’s candidacy.
Similarly, an email from the German Cycling Federation confirmed its support of Cookson.
McQuaid's candidacy remains in question after he had his nomination withdrawn by both federations which could be considered his home, Ireland and Switzerland. He is endeavoring to pass an amendment which would allow any two federations to nominate a candidate. He has the support of Morocco and Thailand, though the amendment would have to be ratified on Friday morning just prior to the election.
"There is nothing I would like more than to see a fair and democratic election, but this confusion around Pat McQuaid’s nomination should not be viewed in isolation," said Charles Jackson of Great Britain. "It is just one symptom of the significant failures of governance at the top of the sport."
Jackson is vice chair of the board of directors at British Cycling, the federation of which Cookson has been president since 1997. He is blunt about his position on his colleague.
"I have seen firsthand how Brian has completely transformed British Cycling from top to bottom," said Jackson, "and have absolutely no doubts that his non-confrontational style of honest, open and collegiate leadership is exactly what the UCI needs."
Wintels supports Cookson in his bid to bring about what he calls a "necessary transformation."
"Our sport needs to prove on transparency, credibility, accountability, good governance and a professional collaborative approach with all our stakeholders," said the Netherlands’ delegate.
Despite the eagerness among some delegates to distance themselves from McQuaid, many seem in favor of allowing the current president to remain eligible.
Sansom said he believes there will be an election, while Hansen called an election "very good for democracy."
Though McQuaid lacks the support of a home federation - traditionally a prerequisite for candidacy - his attempt to pass an amendment to make himself eligible shows a willingness to go to extraordinary lengths to remain in the race. Allowing McQuaid to run could be an attempt to avoid legal action after the fact.
Written by Nick Devlin.
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