Brit Takes Over As UCI President

Last updated : 27 September 2013 By Covsupport News Service

Britain’s Brian Cookson has become the new president of the International Cycling Union (UCI).

The delegates at the Conference Inside the Palazzo Vecchio, Florence’s, heatedly debated for over four hours as to whether Irishman Pat McQuaid, the incumbent president, was even eligible to even stand again for office before a first vote on an amendment that would given backing to McQuaid’s ability to stand again, it failed to achieve the required majority when the vote finished 21 all.

Cookson decided that the vote should now proceed and he was elected by the UCI delegates with a result of 24-18.

Cookson said to The Independent: “The campaign to get to this point has been intense but I am under no illusion that the real work starts now. So I call on the global cycling community to unite and come together to help ensure that our great sport realises its enormous potential.

“I have said throughout my campaign that we must embrace a new style of governance and a collegiate way of working so that a new era of growth and commercial success for the UCI and our sport can begin. My first priorities as president will be to make anti-doping procedures in cycling fully independent, sit together with key stakeholders in the sport and work with Wada to ensure a swift investigation into cycling’s doping culture.”