UCI president Brian Cookson says that the cycling world faces some “uncomfortable reading” when the Cycling Independent Reform Commission (CIRC) publishes its report into doping in the sport.
The report from the three-member panel set up by Cookson last year as part of his pledge to overhaul the sport when he replaced Pat McQuaid in September 2013, could be released in the coming week.
Cookson said: "When you open a can of worms, you find a lot of worms."
He warned: "There'll be a lot of uncomfortable reading. I think we should all prepare ourselves for that."
Mindful of criticism of world football’s governing body, FIFA, over the recent report into the awarding of the 2018 World Cup to Qatar, the UCI president insisted there would be no editing of the CIRC’s report.
"We will publish the report that is given to us by CIRC, absolutely," he said. “If they want to redact anything, they can redact it.
“They may well give us some unredacted information as well, but the report that they give us will be the report that they say is able to go into the public domain.
“We're not going to get into a Fifa-type situation of arguing about the report – what should and shouldn't be redacted, edited, put in a confidential annexe, or whatever. It's going to be interesting.”
Witnesses have been able to provide evidence under condition of anonymity, although it is known that among those to have given evidence is Lance Armstrong, banned from sport for life in 2012.
The American has claimed that he was made a “scapegoat” for doping within cycling, and also questioned Cookson’s record since he assumed the presidency of the UCI.
However, Cookson countered: "I don't get too worried about what Lance Armstrong might or might not say about me. He's entitled to his opinion.
“I know that Lance has talked to the commission because his lawyers announced it and he himself said it.
“Lance Armstrong always has an agenda and I don't want to say any more until we see what he's said to the commission."
As to what the contents of the report may be, Cookson said: “I don't think there's going to be a lot of new revelations, because I think mostly we've got a pretty good idea of what was happening and how widespread the problems were.
He added: “I don't think there's any other sport that has opened itself up in this way, to this level of scrutiny on this particular aspect.
“It's something I committed to, I'm proud that we've done it. I think it's going to be uncomfortable for our sport, but I think it's going to be a good lesson that other sports can learn from as well."
13 thoughts on “Brian Cookson: Long-awaited report on doping will be “uncomfortable reading””
About time that everyone in
About time that everyone in cycling was made to feel a bit uncomfortable, from riders through team managers and especially fans and the cycling media. The latter have seemed to float above the various doping scandals of the last 10-15 years, adopting a kind of ‘What? Oh we had no idea’ approach which deserves a right royal kicking. Fans too have been able to choose to ignore the dirty, shitty aspect of the sport, while celebrating ‘epic’ performances and ‘heroic’ riders.
Complicity is not just a novel by Iain Banks…
crikey wrote:
Complicity is
And denial isn’t just a river in Africa.
And its a great novel
And its a great novel too…
He is much missed 🙁
Cookson is all talk… Same
Cookson is all talk… Same old, same old. Anyone hear he stopped Worlds Practice this week and kicked riders off so he could ride himself??? Video: http://youtu.be/dTR3xyX_9p4
Jamminatrix wrote:Cookson is
So is what you’re saying that the report isn’t going to come out and nothing has changed since Cookson got in ?
fukawitribe wrote:Jamminatrix
There is no doubt a lot has changed, no way would this enquiry have been started under McQuaid. Yes the Astana affair hangs over cycling but they had to act legally and within the rules. We may suspect something is wrong and maybe rules should be tightened (certainly in terms of term principles) but what else could Cookson/UCI have done ?
Hopefully it will be
Hopefully it will be particularly uncomfortable reading for Astana – UCI / Cook lost their bottle on that one.
Quote:Hopefully it will be
A more in-depth reading of the issues surrounding Astana would suggest that Cookson and the UCI were operating according to the regulations, which is quite an important thing to do when you are the governing body of a sport and wish to avoid large scale expensive legal action.
This report is though going
This report is though going to deal with the past and notable team leaders like Rijis and Vino should not be managers because they never admitted their guilt.
ianrobo wrote:This report is
Well, Riis kinda sorta did in that vague way of ‘I only did it one time and not when I won’. Vino is the worst kind of unrepentant doper though.
It should be good reading and
It should be good reading and i hope it absolutely destroys the likes of Vino and Riis and all they stand for.
Perhaps then cycling can start to repair its image without constantly looking over its shoulder.
Jamminatrix wrote:
Cookson is
Jamminatrix wrote:
Cookson is all talk… Same old, same old.
So is what you’re saying that the report isn’t going to come out and nothing has changed since Cookson got in ?
Perhaps nothing will change but as sure as eggs is eggs eff-all would have happened if PMQ was still sitting in the big seat. Its going to make interesting reading.
ianrobo wrote:fukawitribe
There is no doubt a lot has changed, no way would this enquiry have been started under McQuaid. Yes the Astana affair hangs over cycling but they had to act legally and within the rules. We may suspect something is wrong and maybe rules should be tightened (certainly in terms of term principles) but what else could Cookson/UCI have done ?— Jamminatrix
That was sort of what I was trying to hint at to the OP – or at least get them to say precisely what they thought rather than sweeping generalisations.
Absolutely – to both of those.