News broke last night that the Swiss Cycling Federation have withdrawn their nomination of Pat McQuaid in the UCI presidency election.
In a statement today, Brian Cookson, who is also a candidate for the presidency said that it left McQuaid a difficult and also questioned the validity of his other nominations from the Thai and Moroccon federations.
This latest development is of real significance to the Presidential election process. It leaves Mr McQuaid in a very difficult position, particularly when viewed alongside his failure to receive a nomination from his own national federation as required under the constitution of the UCI.
It also places further question marks against his other 'nominations' whose validity is in serious doubt and remain a matter of genuine concern to many in the cycling world.
No attempts at manipulation and legal bluster can take away the doubts and questions.
The important principle in any democracy is that you must respect the rules as they are, not how you'd like them to be. My hope remains that we have a democratic process based on the rules of the race when it started rather than those made up half way through.
For my part I remain focussed on setting out the policies and the vision that I believe is needed for the UCI and the sport of cycling to move forward. I am proud of the total support I have from my own federation, British Cycling, and the growing support I am receiving from the international cycling community as this election unfolds.
Cookson was questioning their validity due to a change which would be required in the UCI constitution in order for the Thai and Moroccon nominations of McQuaid to be allowed.
Cookson has been president of the British Cycling Federation since 1997.
[BrianCookson.org]
