Hoy out of Commonwealth Games..

Junior

The Commonwealth Games were dealt a serious blow last night when Sir Chris Hoy announced his withdrawal from the Scottish team after learning that a new European championship, carrying crucial Olympic qualification points, is to be staged in early November.

The four-time Olympic gold medallist spoke of his "sadness" at having to pull out, as well as his "immense frustration" at cycling's governing body, the International Cycling Union (UCI), for holding the new event so close to October's Delhi games. Dave Brailsford, the British Cycling performance director, indicated that Britain's other leading track riders are likely to follow Hoy. "This new European championship will affect everybody with Olympic ambitions," said Brailsford.

"The problem we have is one of prioritisation. The timing has put a lot of athletes in a difficult and unenviable position. For most of the top level guys, including Chris, their main aim is the Olympics – and this is a qualifying event they're going to need to be going really well at."

Hoy said: "It's with great sadness and reluctance that I've had to tell the Scottish team that I won't be seeking selection for the Delhi games. But it wasn't a decision I had to make in the end: it's one that's been forced on me by the nature of the qualification process for the London Olympics.

"The Olympics has to take precedence over everything," Hoy, a double Commonwealth Games gold medallist, continued. "I could turn up at the Commonwealth Games in October but it'd hamper my preparation for the European championships. And I wouldn't be at 100%. The standard at the Commonwealth Games is so high that 95% wouldn't be good enough, and it would be disrespectful to the event and the Scottish team."

Hoy was critical of the UCI, which has introduced radical changes to the qualification process for the Olympic track cycling events, including the ruling that each event will feature just one rider per nation. Another rule that affects Hoy and his fellow male sprinters is that only four European nations will contest the team sprint at the London Games.

Although confusion surrounds the long-rumoured but yet to be officially announced European Championship – with the UCI's spokesman last night unable to confirm when or where it will be held, St Petersburg being the rumoured venue – Hoy understands it will be staged from 5-7 November. The Commonwealth Games run from 3-14 October.

"I welcome the introduction of a European championship," said Hoy, "because the other regions have their own championships. It's the timing of it, and the lateness of the organisation, I have a problem with. But nothing surprises me any more. To me it shows a lack of understanding of what goes into preparing for a major event. Do they think we just turn up and race?"

It is not the first time Hoy has felt anger towards the UCI, with the governing body having dropped his event, the kilometre time-trial, after the 2004 Games in Athens, where Hoy claimed his first Olympic title. He successfully switched to sprinting and keirin racing for Beijing, and won gold medals in both, adding a historic third in the team sprint.

"The lack of transparency and consultation around the decision-making process is a constant frustration," said Hoy. "But I've learned now that I can't do anything about it, so you just have to accept it. I just hope now that the 2014 Commonwealth Games [in Glasgow] will give me the opportunity to do another games for Scotland."

Commonwealth Games Scotland reacted with disappointment to Hoy's withdrawal. "First and foremost we are bitterly disappointed for Chris himself," said the CGS chairman, Michael Cavanagh. "He has been placed in a no-win situation by the UCI and British Cycling with their late decision."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/jul/16/chris-hoy-commonwealth-games

Seems like stupidity and incompetence of the highest order with a side lashing of disregard for the commonwealth games by the UCI.

RobFowl

Junior wrote: »

Seems like stupidity and incompetence of the highest order with a side lashing of disregard for the commonwealth games by the UCI.

+1

But why am I not surprised :mad:

TinyExplosions

RobFowl wrote: »

+1

But why am I not surprised :mad:

Its as if they don't look at any other calendars when they're putting on events... we've got a spare week here, lets slot in a Euro Championship... numptys