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Cookson ousts McQuaid in contentious UCI vote
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Britain’s Brian Cookson was elected president of the International Cycling Union (UCI) after beating incumbent Pat McQuaid at the end of a protracted election process yesterday.
Cookson, the president of British Cycling since 1996, took the presidency with 24 votes to McQuaid’s 18 from the 42 voting delegates.
It capped a long and frustrating day in Florence’s Palazio Vecchio where McQuaid, in power since 2005, had initially failed to gain nomination but forced his way through by relying on loopholes in the UCI constitution.
As the election descended into near farce, with many voting delegates taking the floor to criticize a process that threatened to drag on even further, Cookson grew frustrated and called McQuaid’s bluff.
“Alright, we’ve had enough of this. I’m going to propose that we pass straight to the election,” said the Englishman.
Less than 30 minutes later the result which ended McQuaid’s bid for a third mandate was delivered.
Loud applause erupted and a triumphant Cookson said: “It is a huge honor to have been elected president of the UCI by my peers and I would like to thank them for the trust they have placed in me today.
“The campaign to get to this point has been intense but I am under no illusion that the real work starts now.
“So I call on the global cycling community to unite and come together to help ensure that our great sport realizes its enormous potential. This is the vision that will drive and focus my activities over the next four years.”
Turning to McQuaid, who said he would walk away from the sport if defeated, Cookson added: “I would like to thank Pat very sincerely for the contribution he has made to world cycling. I wish him well in whatever he goes on to do.”
In keeping with the rhythm of the day’s events, McQuaid continued the congress as if nothing had happened.
“Thank you Brian, and congratulations to you,” said the Irishman. “We now move on to point 11.”
For the Irishman, who helped boost cycling’s anti-doping fight but ultimately took the flak for the UCI’s poor handling of the Armstrong affair, it was a unceremonious end to his eight-year reign.
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