Current UCI President refutes claims that his nomination was withdrawn
UCI president Pat McQuaid at the start of the Tour of Flanders in Bruges. (Image credit: Sirotti)
Pat McQuaid's nomination for re-election to the presidency of the UCI appeared to be in question on Tuesday afternoon when it was reported on Twitter that the Swiss Cycling Federation was no longer backing Pat McQuaid.
One tweet said, "@irishpeloton: BREAKING: Swiss Federation has withdrawn its nomination of Pat McQuaid."
However, when contacted by Cyclingnews, McQuaid said, "I've not heard that, and it's not correct. The case is on Thursday, and I'll be in Zurich on that day with all the documentation."
"[Jamie] Fuller has arrived in Dublin today. And was seemingly on this Newstalk. As far as I'm concerned it's complete bullshit," McQuaid said. "I know there's a hearing on Thursday. I've had communication from the Swiss federation and it's going ahead. It's [a] scandalous report from someone and Newstalk has picked up on it. It's all the usual culprits and they're talking about it on Twitter."
In two days, a tribunal will hear a case regarding the nomination of McQuaid by the Swiss Cycling Federation for his third term as the UCI President.
Regarding that hearing, Velonation reported today that the Swiss Federation had sent the following message to the tribunal members reversing its nomination and say it wanted to forgo the hearing: "After having carefully considered the arguments of the claimants in the arbitration brought against Swiss Cycling's Decision of 13 May 2013 to nominate Mr. Pat McQuaid for UCI Presidential election, a majority of the Board's member decided, in light of the legal issues regarding the validity of said Decision and of the general interest of Swiss Cycling, to (i) revoke the Decision of 13 May 2013 and (ii) to withdraw Swiss Cycling’s nomination of Mr. Pat McQuaid for (re)election as UCI President. Swiss Cycling’s head of administration."
The message further said that Swiss Cycling would seek a settlement with the claimants regarding the termination of the proceedings and the allocation of related costs.
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McQuaid had sought the nomination from the Swiss Federation after running into trouble getting the necessary backing from the Irish Cycling Federation earlier this summer.
McQuaid is from Ireland, but presently lives in Switzerland.
The cycling federations of Morocco and Thailand are also trying to back McQuaid for re-election; however, there is some question as to whether they are eligible to do since the wording of the UCI regulations on the topic are vague.
McQuaid's top opposition in the election is from presidential candidate Brian Cookson of Great Britain.
The UCI election will occur at the end of September.
