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inCycle video: Brian Cookson on restoring cycling's credibility

published 18 May 2014

UCI President implements changes in first seven months

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Brian Cookson was voted in as the 10th UCI president last September and since then, he's been trying to improve cycling's image.

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"My job is to make sure our sport has integrity... It's important that we restore the sport's credibility," said Cookson.

Cookson brought 16 years of experience as the head of British Cycling into his leadership role at the UCI. Upon being elected, he said,"It's a huge honor to have been elected president of the UCI. I'd like to thank you for all the trust placed in me."

Learning more about French language and culture have been practical steps take by Cookson since his election, but there's more to his approach then better French. "I wouldn't say any of my predecessors have done a bad job. The world has changed now. The way international federations was run in the past is no longer appropriate."

Cookson's approach includes building on cycling's main heritage in Europe and expanding it globally, responding directly to the public, adminstrators and riders and using social media for intelligence gathering and use within the UCI.

"I've also done an indepedent audit of anti-doping policies and we are working to make anti-doping efforts more independent of UCI. We've established an indepedent cycling reform commission," said Cookson, outlining achievements thus far.

"The big lesson from the Lance Armstrong situation is that no matter how powerful you are and how good your lawyers are, if you build your career on cheating, it will come out," said Cookson.