Leaders of cycling’s world governing body have been accused of colluding with Lance Armstrong and undermining the fight against doping, in a damning report to be published today. Findings by the Cycling Independent Reform Commission (CIRC) will also lead to fresh debate about the extent of doping in the peloton at present, with troubling disclosures about new drugs and the ease of dodging tests.
The 227-page report by the CIRC, which was commissioned by Brian Cookson, president of the International Cycling Union (UCI), focuses mostly on the governing body’s own failings, especially during the erythropoietin (EPO) era dominated by Armstrong.
The three-man panel are highly critical of Hein Verbruggen and Pat McQuaid, Cookson’s predecessors as UCI president, for failures of governance and leadership. The two men are accused of protecting Armstrong, one of sport’s most notorious cheats.
The report alleges that Verbruggen and others in the UCI leadership were so eager to promote Armstrong as a hero, especially after the Festina scandal in 1998, that they supported him even in the face of growing evidence that he was doping.
A failure to prosecute Armstrong for use of a backdated medical certificate after he was caught using a corticosteroid cream during the 1999 Tour de France is cited as one significant failing under Verbruggen’s leadership.
Advertisement
The report talks of the UCI “disregarding the rules and giving preferential status to high-profile athletes, to publicly criticising whistleblowers and engaging in personal disputes with other stakeholders. These actions severely undermined the credibility of UCI and therefore the reputation of the sport.”
McQuaid is said to have favoured Armstrong, breaking UCI rules to hasten the Texan’s comeback in 2009. CIRC suggests McQuaid made an exception for Armstrong after he agreed to ride in the Tour of Ireland, an event run by the former president’s acquaintances.
One doping official claimed that Armstrong “basically told the sport how to administer its rules”. There is further criticism of the UCI for accepting financial donations from Armstrong.
In a statement timed to coincide with the release of the report, Armstrong said: “I am grateful to CIRC for seeking the truth and allowing me to assist in that search. I am deeply sorry for many things I have done.
“However, it is my hope that revealing the truth will lead to a bright, dope-free future for the sport I love, and will allow all young riders emerging from small towns throughout the world in years to come to chase their dreams without having to face the lose-lose choices that so many of my friends, teammates and opponents faced.”
Advertisement
Verbruggen’s position as honorary president of the UCI, as well as an honorary member of the International Olympic Committee, is likely to be questioned given the attack on his presidency of the UCI between 1991 and 2005.
Responding to the CIRC findings, Cookson said: “It is clear that in the past the UCI suffered severely from a lack of good governance with individuals taking crucial decisions alone, many of which undermined anti-doping efforts; put itself in an extraordinary position of proximity to certain riders; and wasted a lot of its time and resources in open conflict with organisations such as the World Anti-Doping Agency and the US Anti-Doping Agency.
“It is also clear that the UCI leadership interfered in operational decisions on anti-doping matters and these factors, as well as many more covered in the report, served to erode confidence in the UCI and the sport.”
The £2.3 million report raises many concerns about how rife doping remains. Cookson was voted in as UCI president in September 2013 on a promise to restore the image of the organisation after countless scandals.
He is likely to press ahead with plans for a fit and proper persons test, which could exclude those with a doping history from senior management positions in cycling teams.
Advertisement
The report is published just as Team Sky face fresh controversy. Servais Knaven, a directeur sportif for Sky, was forced to deny that he has taken performance-enhancing substances after details were published of blood tests taken when he was a rider with the Dutch TVM team in 1998.
The Mail on Sunday claims that tests on Knaven’s blood showed signs of EPO, and other banned substances.
He has denied the claims, saying that he never used performance-enhancing drugs. Team Sky have said that they will not employ anyone with a doping history and they have defended Knaven.
But the story comes as another sign of how cycling remains trapped in its doping past.