Exactly four years ago Pat McQuaid was fighting for a third term as UCI president. He was beaten by Brian Cookson. But is the Irishman about to make a shock return to the UCI fold?
Pat McQuaid denies UCI deal with David Lappartient
This time four years ago Pat McQuaid was fighting for a third term as UCI president. In the end he would lose out to Brian Cookson.
The fall-out from the Lance Armstrong case effectively sank McQuaid’s campaign.
Since then there has been widespread disappointment with Brian Cookson as president.
He has been a president with a lower public profile and a less forceful personality than McQuaid.
Ironically, while McQuaid was badly damaged by Armstrong’s doping, Cookson is not regarded as having built on the anti doping measures the UCI introduced under McQuaid.
Cookson is now in the last days of his election campaign to win a second term.
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And his battle with the man who wants to topple him, David Lappartient, has turned nasty.
Rumours abound that Lappartient has gone to McQuaid to help him get elected. It is said the Irishman would become honorary president of the UCI if Lappartient wins.
When contacted by stickybottle, McQuaid said the idea he had done a deal with Lappartient was “rubbish”.
Cookson has been accused of adding credibility to the rumours by commenting on them.
He said he had sent an email to a small number of UCI delegates who have voting rights in the upcoming election.
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But McQuaid insisted the email simply contained views about Cookson’s presidency that he had already stated publicly.
He added he had been critical of the Cookson presidency in the past, including in media interviews.
But he said the suggestion he had been promised an honorary presidents position, or any job, in exchange for contacting people on Lappartient’s behalf was without foundation.
“I sent the email to try and encourage people to change president because I think the UCI needs a change,” he said.
“But I’ve had no assurances from David. He doesn’t need me to win the election. David can do that on his own. He is well capable of that.”
Lappartient is the current UCI vice president and is president of the European Cycling Union.
And in just six days time, when the presidential election takes place at the World Championships in Bergen, we will know if he has taken the top UCI job.
Brian Cookson says he fears David Lappartient has done a deal with McQuaid.
"I am aware of the rumours that Pat McQuaid has been actively lobbying on behalf of UCI presidential candidate David Lappartient," Cookson told the BBC.
"I have of course seen the declarations Pat McQuaid has made recently in support of David in the media.
"And I have also been shown proof that Pat is actively lobbying on David's behalf. Only they know if Pat has been offered a senior role at the UCI.
"(It) would be a grave concern for anyone who can recall the disastrous situation that the UCI was in just four years ago under his leadership."
David Lappartient on Pat McQuaid
Lappartient has said Pat McQuaid was entitled to do as he wishes. But he insisted the Irishman was not working for him and that no deal had been struck.
"From information I gathered, it has been reported that Mr McQuaid has sent an email to a couple of delegates, whom he knows, by telling them his personal opinion about Brian Cookson and therefore calling on them to support my candidature," Lappartient said.
"This was a personal act of McQuaid and not on my demand. By saying, 'Only they know if…' seems to me, once again, Brian Cookson is certain of nothing.
"Making false comments like these is unsportsmanlike behaviour."
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