AIGCP questions amendment to UCI election protocol

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The Association of Professional Cycling teams (AIGCP) has questioned the reasoning behind the Malaysian Cycling Federation’s call for an amendment to UCI Presidential elections that would allow candidates to be nominated by multiple federations.

The move backed by current President Pat McQuaid has been criticised from a number of quarters.

“I would see no need for such a resolution. There are two candidates who have made some clear statements, in the past and the present, about how they want to run the sport. That should be enough for the delegates to make a balanced assessment,” AIGCP’s managing director, Luuc Eisenga told Cyclingnews.

The UCI Presidential election, scheduled for September, is set to be contested between McQuaid and his only challenger Brian Cookson, who has the backing of British Cycling. The election has seen both men lay out out their manifestos. Cookson has laid out a path for change, promising to improve the UCI’s credibility after a number of scandals. McQuaid, on the other hand, has pointed to his role in the globalisation of the support as he seeks a third term.

The AIGCP has refrained from publicly backing either candidate, although former AIGCP President Jonathan Vaughters has positioned himself in Cookson’s camp, taking to Twitter on Wednesday to say, “At a time in cycling when we are trying to stop rules being bent to win, why would we endorse leadership that bends the rules to win?”

Eisenga would not be drawn on a preferred candidate, only saying that: “the AIGCP wants clear and credible governance with a fair share, also in decision making power. Only change will work if it has consensus from all parties. There is definitely room from improvement from the actual situation.”