Kimmage (left) has recently ventured into broadcasting on ‘Newstalk’ radio and Setanta TV
UCI president Pat McQuaid and his predecessor Hein Verbruggen have begun a legal action against Paul Kimmage in which they claim the award winning journalist and author has damaged their reputations.
In the action in Switzerland, McQuaid and Verbruggen are seeking damages from Kimmage for “annoyance” and for harm they say he has caused to their reputations.
Kimmage has recently parted ways with The Sunday Times newspaper and even though the material that has apparently offended McQuaid and Verbruggen appeared in that newspaper, the men are suing Kimmage personally.
The ‘Rough Ride’ author has campaigned through his journalism for action on the problem of performance enhancing drugs in sport, particularly cycling.
He has written extensively about the drug-related controversies around Lance Armstrong and his accuser Floyd Landis. In the course of this work, Kimmage has documented Landis’ claims of alleged corruption on the part of the UCI.
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It appears it is that area of Kimmage’s journalism that has prompted the legal action on the part of McQuaid and Verbruggen.
The sums of money at the centre of the case are not significant. However, some of the features of the case are unusual, by Irish legal standards at any rate.
According to media reports, McQuaid and Verbruggen are seeking 8,000 Swiss Francs each – around €6,500. It is believed the UCI itself is seeking the same sum.
They are also seeking that Kimmage be ordered by the court to take out advertisements in the international media publicising the ruling of the court, if indeed the ruling goes against Kimmage.
In recent weeks Kimmage again won the ‘William Hill Sports Book of the Year’. Of late he has increasingly been moving more into broadcast journalism with both the Newstalk radio station and Setanta TV.
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