While Cycling Ireland has doubled the cost of a one-day licence this year, despite opposition, Athletics Ireland is now facing a legal challenge over its decision to introduce extra one-day licence charges. It has also emerged the decision by Athletics Ireland to impose the new one-day licence fees was taken as part of its new deal with EventMaster.
Cycling Ireland also uses EventMaster for race and sportive entries, though there have been complaints within the cycling community over the level of charges being imposed by the platform every time cyclists enter events.
Earlier this year, Cycling Ireland increased the cost of one-day licences from €10 to €20, or £9 to £18. The change in price - for races and sportives - came into effect from February 1st. Cycling Ireland's Leisure Commission and the Cycling Ulster provincial body have been the most vocal critics of the move. The Leisure Commission voiced its concern at the higher charges and the fact they were introduced without consultation. Both the Leisure Commission and Cycling Ulster said the increased fees would make it much more expensive for non-Cycling Ireland members to ride events and would result in fewer entries.
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However, despite the opposition, the higher charges are now in place within Irish cycling. But in the Irish athletics community - where a one-day licence system has never been in place before now - the introduction of the new €2 one-day licence, since January 1st, for all road races is now being met with a legal challenge.
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Shannonside Radio today broke the story, reporting that a legal action in opposition to the one-day licence had now been raised with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.
In a statement to Shannonside Sport, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission said: “A complaint has recently been made to the CCPC alleging anti-competitive practices in this sector. Due to the legal nature of this work, we are precluded from providing an indicative timeframe or updates on our examination.”
The new €2 one-day licence is being introduced as part of a new contract between Athletics Ireland and EventMaster. Under that deal, promoters of Athletics Ireland-sanctioned events must use EventMaster as their entry platform rather than being allowed to choose what system to use, as had always been the case.
EventMaster has been the focus of complaints in Irish cycling, some of which were aired at the Cycling Ireland annual meeting in Monaghan Town last November. For example, Newry Wheelers said when it promoted its Newry Three Day stage race, it tried to keep the entry fees down as it was concerned many riders were under financial pressure due to inflation. However, having gone to that effort, it was very annoyed to see EventMaster had made €800 in charges just from the three-day.
Other delegates at the Cycling Ireland complained when they entered their children into cycling races, fees were charged by EventMaster for each child, which they said was unacceptable. In reply to a range of complaints raised about EventMaster, Cycling Ireland pointed out at the meeting the federation had a multi-year deal with EventMaster and would face financial penalties if the contract was broken. However, the officials also said they would go to EventMaster and raise the concerns expressed at the AGM.
