Johannesburg – Today may be the first day of a new era for world cycling. Today, at the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, Brian Cookson, the president of British Cycling, will go up against Pat McQuaid for the leadership of the International Cycling Union (UCI), a battle perhaps best described as McQuaid the incumbent versus Cookson the unencumbered.
Cookson wants to end McQuaid’s controversial eight-year reign as president of the UCI. Under his watch the fight against doping has become a confused, murky, political battle. Cookson has long campaigned for transparency in cycling, calling for a TRC on doping in the sport.
Part of their presidency battle will be decided by Africa, with Cycling SA president Willie Newman having one of the continent’s seven votes. Newman has declined to say who he will be voting for, but Morocco have nominated McQuaid for a third four-year term, which may indicate Africa will be voting as a block. McQuaid may not get the opportunity to stand against Cookson as he was not nominated by Ireland, his home federation. That, too, will be worked out today.
McQuaid and Cookson were in Pietermaritzburg in August at the UCI Mountainbike World Championships in August to garner votes. The pair are no strangers to South Africa, having been involved in the Rapport Tour years ago, McQuaid as a rider (under a false name because of sanctions) and Cookson as a commissaire. They were, it is said, friends, but that has ended.
“I was at the Giro del Capo, five or six years ago, I rode the Argus at the same time as well,” said Cookson, who claimed not to be able to remember his time for the run ride world champs in Cape Town. What could he offer African cycling, and what did they want from him?
“They want greater investment in Africa from the UCI and they’re right to want it. I think the UCI has been terribly poor at developing the sport in some parts of the world. The UCI has done some good things – the world cycling centre and its satellite centre in Potchefstroom with JP van Zyl – we need more of those. We need more work with national federations in Africa and need more development. We need to invest in people and activities. Let’s have knowledge exchange between countries.”
When Cookson became president of British Cycling in 1997, the federation was insolvent and the country had won one medal in 76 years. He came up with an ambitious plan to be the No1-ranked nation in the world and to make cycling the biggest participation sport in Britain. Since then they have won 19 Olympic gold medals, 28 Paralympic gold medals, many world championships and seen British riders win the Tour de France twice. The last of those was the Africa-born Chris Froome.
“I’m not very partisan about these things. I’m quite happy to give credit to Africa for Chris Froome. Between us we’ve managed to put the guy at the top of the tree. He wouldn’t have been what he is without his background in Africa, and I like to think he wouldn’t have got right to the top of the ladder without the support we were able to offer him with Great Britain and Team Sky.
“To me those kind of partnerships demonstrate what I’ve been trying to say. In a way it’s a shame anyone has to have a nationality. Let’s be generous. He’s got many sources for his success.”
The Star