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UCI warns riders over 'unjust' organisers' rules

By AFP

Cycling's world ruling body the UCI has warned teams aiming to take part in races run by the powerful ASO company about the 'unjust' conditions set out in the breakaway race organisers' contract.

ASO runs a number of top events including the Tour de France and Paris-Nice, the week-long stage race which has again become the bone of contention in the ongoing feud between the International Cycling Union (UCI) and powerful race organisers. Following the recent departure of ASO, and fellow organisers RCS (Italy) and Unipublic (Spain) from the UCI's Pro Tour series, ASO announced that Paris-Nice would be held under the auspices of the French Cycling Federation (FFC).

Fuel was added to the fire earlier this week when UCI chief Pat McQuaid asked all teams to boycott the race under threat of possible sanctions.

That call that was rejected Wednesday by the president of their representative body, Eric Boyer, who said the International Association of Professional Cycling Teams (AIGCP) had taken a "purely sporting decision."

"The AIGCP came to this decision purely in the interests of the riders and the team sponsors (...) AIGCP has informed Pat McQuaid of its decision."

Now, the week-long 'Race to the Sun', which gives a good indication of who could be on-form for the more important races in the season, will go ahead as a non UCI-sanctioned event.

On Thursday evening, ASO and the FFC signed the contract for what they believed would ensure the smooth running of the March 9 to 16 event.

FFC president Jean Pitallier said: "The agreement makes sure that all the criteria needed to organise the race are there, particularly a sufficent number of officials."

Hoping for a solution to the conflict, Pitallier added: "We hope the UCI go back on their decision therefore we will adhere to its own rules (concerning officials)."

The UCI believes however that ASO could abuse its power by making "unfair" demands on teams intending to compete, and has sent a letter - obtained by AFP - to each team warning them of the conditions set out in ASO's contract. One of the stipulations set down by ASO is for teams to "immediately pull out of the race any rider or staff member whose presence could damage the reputation of the event, or the organiser."

That move is in direct response to the numerous doping scandals which have marred the Tour de France, including last year's edition when riders from Astana, Cofidis and Rabobank further discredited the event.

McQuaid warned in his letter to the teams that it was wrong for ASO to determine unilaterally the reasons to expel individuals from its races.

"I would like to impress on you the following. The signing of this contract would mean that your team would put itself completely outside the UCI. By signing the contract you would be joining a private circuit controlled entirely by ASO for the benefit of its commercial interests.

"You would be abandoning the protection afforded by rules of the UCI which are designed to give teams and riders rights and not simply protect the interests of organisers."

McQuaid also hit out at a "completely one-sided contract in favour of ASO", and said it was devoid of any statutes giving riders the rights to the presumption of innocence in the event of doping suspicion.

"ASO would be able to exclude any rider or even an entire team simply as a result of a mere rumour of doping (article 2.2 and 3.2): the contract provides for no form of appeal to a neutral body in contrast to the UCI's rules which provide for appeal to president of the college of commissaries, the president of the CUPT, the Road Commission or CAS.

"You would be denied this fundamental right of redress."

Race director Christian Prudhomme told the teams: "We acknowledge the concern this situation may be causing you, but I can assure you that our wishes above everything else are in everybody's interest - preserving the reputation and the longevity of the events which have shaped the history of cycling."

© AFP 2008

User Comments

There are 6 comments on this post

Showing 1 - 5 of 6 comments

  • Why not Rabobank, who had the Yellow Jersey, then got in the doo. They are linked with blood boosting in Austria too. I understand what your saying; it's the cherry picking of teams that makes no sense. The only real way to get over doping is using hair and nail samples. Messing around at edges is no good. When riders like Moreni is on the Juice then you might as well start again from scratch. The cancer is terminal.

    I think if the truth is known, Bruyneel knows his stuff and the authorities can't get a thing on him. Astana have a win at all costs attitude and Bruyneel will make it happen. Certain teams get themselves in trouble but this team could win big and get away with it. ASO knows this and are bending the rules so they can nail Brunyneel.

  • "ASO do not have a rule book."

    Yes they do, as laid out on the Paris-Nice Participation Contract, which meets all the requirements of French law.

    "I guess as they are French, they are used to having "a la Carte"..."

    Hmmm. This appears to be just another anti-ASO post 'informed' by ill-informed, anti-French bigotry...

    As to the likes of Contador, from what I have read the evidence collected as part of Operation Puerto is damming, and given the level of doping in cycling and the damage this is doing to the 'sport', such a level of evidence must be taken to be sufficient grounds for excluding teams/riders. The other option is to carry on letting dope test management specialists such as Bruyneel and the teams of lawyers employed by riders to continue to run rings around the organisers and testing labs.

  • I think that's the trouble; ASO do not have a rule book. I guess as they are French, they are used to having "a la Carte" and thier rule book is no exception. You can't run an organisation in such a way. If the Peleton were to be squeaky clean, then our own Mr Miller and Slipstream would be for the chop. You've either been caught for drugs or not. Valverde must be assumed clean, Contador and others who are insinuated with doping cases also must be assumed clean. If a rider gets caught then it's a two year ban or a life time ban, if those are the rules. Stick to the game plan otherwise it's caos; which is what we seem to have.

    Cheers Jerry

  • This dispute has nothing to do with the ASO wanting a 'French winner', they just don't want any more doping scandals undermining the credibility and commercial footing of the Race. The biggest prospect for a French winner in relatively recent years was Richard Virenque and yet in the wake of the Festina scandal Jean-Marie Leblanc tried to exclude Virenque from the Tour until his hand was forced by the UCI. Back in 1999 Leblanc said of Virenque:

    "Since last July Richard Virenque's name and image is the incarnation of doping - whether or not he is responsible for the situation is not for us to say. According to the evidence his presence is incompatible to the image and reputation of the event we want to preserve."

    When the UCI insisted that Virenque ride Leblanc's response was:

    "If Virenque won the Tour, it would be a very serious setback for our race."

    OK, other teams may not be 'whiter than white', but it makes much more sense to exclude a team such as Astana where institutionalised blood-doping was the norm rather than a team like Cofidis which contained a rider who, on his own account, used a testosterone patch! The brave actions of the ASO at least gives the sort of strong message to the dopers that the UCI have failed to do over the years and the rules laid out by the ASO in relation to the Paris-Nice race make it clear that any doping will not be tolerated in the future, no matter who the team is. Good on them, they may yet drag cycling out of the mire the UCI has led it in to!

    Also it is the UCI who is 'playing politics'. It should stick to managing the regulations of the sport rather than trying to wrest control of the TV rights to the sports major races away from the organisers of those events!

  • ASO what a bunch of fruit and nut cakes! I've booked a Holiday to go and see thier race. This stuff should've been sorted out in the off season. I guess the Paris Nice won't be on the telly now and the Tour of Italy with RCS. What a bunch of chumps! They wouldn't dare ban Cofidis (Moreni and Miller troubles), and seemed to forgotten about High Road (Sinki'), Liquigas (DiLuca), Lampre (Simoni on south American sweeties), CSC (Basso trouble), Caisse D' "whatver it is" (Valverde insinuation) and that's off the top of head. The Tour would be pretty sparce if they wanted to ban all teams who had a slight "wiff" of suspicion about them.

    I know ASO would like a French winner but even Moreau can't get out of this with the Festina Affair. Virenque was welcomed back, gets his Stage Victory and Yellow Jersey and is a hero who now commentates for French TV at the Tour.

    They are just playing Politics and it's us Cycling fans who are getting the rough end of the stick. ASO should stick to the rules and get on with it.

    Cheers Jerry

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