McQuaid nominated unanimously by Switzerland (read warning post #78)

Beasty · 04-06-2013 11:30AM

Junior wrote: »

Brian Cookson from the UK has stepped forward as another candidate.. http://www.briancookson.org/en/

He's taken to Twitter - 800+ followers within a couple of hours
@cooksonforuci

Beasty · 04-06-2013 05:34PM

McQuaid's retort

It's getting interesting ...

happytramp · 04-06-2013 05:39PM

Beasty wrote: »

McQuaid's retort

It's getting interesting ...

Apparently I'm a 'activist'. I hope no one tells my parents.

Beasty · 04-06-2013 05:43PM

I hate to think what he's been calling me in private, but on the other hand I guess it gives me some pleasure when I realise he thinks so much of me ...:pac:

buffalo · 04-06-2013 06:06PM

I must also express my extreme concern about a donation of almost
€1million made by Mr Makarov’s company, Itera, to the UEC within weeks of the UEC elections. Given all of the accompanying activities, it is important to know what the true nature and purpose of this donation is

Odd concern coming from a man who accepted two donations from Lance Armstrong, and denies that there was any underhand motive at play. And said he'd have no problem accepting such donations from riders in future.

TinyExplosions · 04-06-2013 06:08PM

Beasty wrote: »

McQuaid's retort

It's getting interesting ...

Some cheek on him...

I must also express my extreme concern about a donation of almost
€1million made by Mr Makarov’s company, Itera, to the UEC

what about a 250k (or was it more?) donation by Armstrong he took...

Joxer_S · 04-06-2013 07:17PM

For all his bluster about the UCI being a democracy it's almost comical to see his autocratic nature become more and more apparent, or it would be comical if I didn't think it was important. His immediate reaction to being challenged is to attempt to undermine his opponents integrity.

His tactic of attacking Brian Cookson for changing his mind on deciding to run speaks volumes about McQuaids inability to to accept any criticism of the UCI in the face of overwhelming evidence of if not corruption, at least serious failures in management. Poor Pat still thinks the sun revolves around the earth. Undermining your opponent isn't exactly an unusual political stroke to pull, but in the context of McQuaids constant doublespeak and protestations of innocence, it seems like every time the man opens his mouth he's affirming the swell of support against him.

I don't know much about Brian Cookson, and had never heard of him before yesterday. I don't believe voting for him just because he isn't Pat McQuaid is correct, but his track record seems very strong. If any one could shed some more light on his achievements and his specifically what his role was in the resurgence of British cycling that would be great.

ashleey · 04-06-2013 07:53PM

happytramp wrote: »

Apparently I'm a 'activist'. I hope no one tells my parents.

Don't 'activists' turn up at G8 meetings in motorcycle helmets and fight the police?

Joxer_S · 04-06-2013 08:08PM

While strongly refuting any suggestions of impropriety in his treatment of Jewish citizens, Adolf Hitler repeatedly referred to the successful expansion of the autobahn network as grounds for his re-election.

... :pac:

http://tinyurl.com/6cnjm

Chips Lovell · 04-06-2013 08:29PM

What an odd letter.

He spends most of it going after Walkiewicz and Makarov. The only thing he can say about Cookson is that he may have had a meeting with them.

I often wonder if he has anyone advising him. Because, in a sense, he's his own worst enemy. He would have actually faired much better over the past few years if he'd said nothing.

pelevin · 04-06-2013 08:47PM

With McQuaid I go from finding him deeply off-putting - autocratic and blatantly dingenuous - to cooling off and thinking Ah well, there's no hope and maybe in spite of appearances he's not quite as bad as he seems. This easing off ends more or less the moment I delve a little deeper into affairs.
The McQuaid retort link above for instance, for a while of reading it I thought it must be a parody, so ugly and paranoid is the mentality of what I was reading. Everyone in Ireland opposed to his candidacy is portrayed as some kind of evil lowlife, an enemy of democracy, etc . . . & then Cookson is effectively slandered as something more of the same, if only a pawn in a game the poor deluded 'innocent' Cookson is unaware of.

I think McQuaid probably does believe, like more famous political tyrants, his worldview completely, & within that worldview the good of the UCI has become incarnated in his own being, & anyone who is critical of or opposed to that is by definition ignoble, in essence a villainous servant of evil. Thus the language of 'activists', etc.

So on the one hand McQuaid is blatantly disingenuous in that what he comes out with defies any sense of fairness, like dismissing to the wider world the democratic call for an EGM regarding his UCI nomination as the actions of a small ugly lunatic fringe, when he must have known it was clearly representative of a very large sector of the cycling community in Ireland. But this 'disingenuousness' is actually somehow the real, emotionally authentic response of McQuaid to what are for him and his worldview threats to Cycling and Goodness in the form of himself.
It's all kind of the psychology of Power corrupts in relation to political type organisations, and McQuaid seems a pretty extreme example of the self-deifying dictator psyche within that field.

el tel · 04-06-2013 09:48PM

I don't think I've ever read anything so paranoid and defensive. Is that for real? If yes, the guy's a bull in a China shop, what a dunderhead.

pprendeville · 05-06-2013 08:56AM

Pretty offensive to be labelled an activist just because you have an opinion, particularly when that opinion is based on a lot of insurmountable evidence as laid out in the McQuaid file.

As to Cookson changing his mind, is not McQuaid the chameleon of the cycling world when it comes to changing his mind.

The only thing I would say is that he does have a fair point about that €1m donation. Last thing that's needed is more controversy if a new president is elected only to find out there is a bribe scandal.

Just reflecting on this thread, I wonder would it be more beneficial for a website to be set up so people can access the McQuaid file and other updates more easily. I think the nature of the situation needs something more dedicated than a boards.ie thread and mentions on cycling websites.

pprendeville · 05-06-2013 09:03AM

In relation to Brian Cookson, he has been British Cycling's President since 1997. No matter how good you are in any role I think the role particularly of president needs to rotate so this is kind of worrying for me already.

12 sprocket · 05-06-2013 10:07AM

pprendeville wrote: »

Pretty offensive to be labelled an activist just because you have an opinion, particularly when that opinion is based on a lot of insurmountable evidence as laid out in the McQuaid file.

pprendiville
I think if people read the mc quaid file closely what it is is a document of the groups Opinions and speculations mainly, rather than insurmountable evidince

for example just read this first part and it goes on in a similar vein from there.. I have highlighted the key words in red and I have put on the tin hat preparing for the onslaught.

we believe there have been huge issues with regards to Governance and Doping in cycling. In addition, it is our opinion that the UCI has engaged in mission creep regarding the Globalisation of the sport.

We believe the conflict of interest between anti-doping and promotion of the sport has never been addressed. Anti-doping measures appear to be introduced on the back of yet another crisis. We find it regrettable that the UCI comes across as reactionary, not pro-active in the fight against doping. We think that the UCI’s anti-doping efforts have been too narrowly focused on riders as opposed to managers, teams and doctors. What’s more, it is our belief that the UCI is reluctant to pursue global stars who become the key asset in its globalisation strategy. It is our view that this sends a bad message to young cyclists considering whether to dope or not. The UCI’s actions have resulted in short term commercial gains, however, these gains appear quickly lost in the destructive aftermath of doping scandals. We believe the UCI’s public feuding with Anti-Doping agencies such as WADA and USADA cast it in a terrible light. The UCI appears to lack leadership.

pelevin · 05-06-2013 10:20AM

Does anyone here agree with McQuaid belittling to the wider world the successful call for an EGM in Ireland regarding his nomination as solely the work of a kind of lunatic fringe it is beneath his dignity to engage with. I would have thought the dissatisfaction with McQuaid in Ireland exercised by democratic means was undeniably reflective of a very large section of the cycling community rather thabn being simply the actions of a small group of entirely negatively motivated 'activists'.
Does 12 Sprocket consider for instance that McQuaid is actually the genuine democratic choice of the Irish cycling public, but it's just that McQuaid for some reason ran instead to the Swiss for fear this democratic process might give the wrong undemocratic result?
This is how McQuaid summed up the democratic campaign yesterday in his letter to the cycling federations:

"First, it is clear that a small group of activists has banded together to try, by whatever means,
to hijack and derail my candidature in the coming election. Their agenda is narrow and
negative. They have nothing positive or constructive to offer in discussions about cycling’s
future."

morana · 05-06-2013 10:20AM

@12Sprocket

Whats your views on him going to the Swiss?

By the way I respect your position I wont attack it but may have in the past and if I did I apologise for particularly calling you "deluded" although I know you will appreciate I had the "knifing in the back" accusation at that board meeting. Lets move on.

morana · 05-06-2013 10:22AM

pelevin wrote: »

Does anyone here agree with McQuaid belittling to the wider world the successful call for an EGM in Ireland regarding his nomination as solely the work of a kind of lunatic fringe it is beneath his dignity to engage with. I would have thought the dissatisfaction with McQuaid in Ireland exercised by democratic means was undeniably reflective of a very large section of the cycling community rather thabn being simply the actions of a small group of entirely negatively motivated 'activists'.
Does 12 Sprocket consider for instance that McQuaid is actually the genuine democratic choice of the Irish cycling public, but it's just that McQuaid for some reason ran instead to the Swiss for fear this democratic process might give the wrong undemocratic result?

lets wait and see what the result is first before we can judge if Pat is the Irish peoples choice!

pelevin · 05-06-2013 10:27AM

morana wrote: »

lets wait and see what the result is first before we can judge if Pat is the Irish peoples choice!

But I'm not saying he would have been the choice or not but what is undeniable is that McQuaid chose to go a different route, ie the Swiss, and has chosen to portray any dissatisfaction with his nomination in Ireland as representing solely a negatively minded small bunch of activists. However the vote in the EGM would have gone McQuaid's portrayal of how things stood/stand in Ireland is blatantly disingenuous and insulting to the Irish cycling community. As a measure of the man, I find such behaviour deeply off-putting.

RobFowl · 05-06-2013 10:40AM

Hi 12 Sprocket
I am one of the signatories (will PM you and tell you who if you like but prefer not to be publicly "outed").
The advice we got was and out experience in writing papers (extensive in writing academic papers ) is that this is the way summaries and interpretations are written.
You set out the evidence as you see it and then give your opinion on what it means.
Nothing is ever 100% black and white so you simply can't say it is.
I do believe the evidence is extremely strong and would alos appreciate your opinion on whether bypassing the Irish EGM and going to the Swiss was correct?
PS have also been accused of stabbing people in the back (not by you) and it's not something I would say so really don't like being accused of it either,

12 sprocket wrote: »

pprendiville
I think if people read the mc quaid file closely what it is is a document of the groups Opinions and speculations mainly, rather than insurmountable evidince

for example just read this first part and it goes on in a similar vein from there.. I have highlighted the key words in red and I have put on the tin hat preparing for the onslaught.

we believe there have been huge issues with regards to Governance and Doping in cycling. In addition, it is our opinion that the UCI has engaged in mission creep regarding the Globalisation of the sport.

We believe the conflict of interest between anti-doping and promotion of the sport has never been addressed. Anti-doping measures appear to be introduced on the back of yet another crisis. We find it regrettable that the UCI comes across as reactionary, not pro-active in the fight against doping. We think that the UCI’s anti-doping efforts have been too narrowly focused on riders as opposed to managers, teams and doctors. What’s more, it is our belief that the UCI is reluctant to pursue global stars who become the key asset in its globalisation strategy. It is our view that this sends a bad message to young cyclists considering whether to dope or not. The UCI’s actions have resulted in short term commercial gains, however, these gains appear quickly lost in the destructive aftermath of doping scandals. We believe the UCI’s public feuding with Anti-Doping agencies such as WADA and USADA cast it in a terrible light. The UCI appears to lack leadership.

12 sprocket · 05-06-2013 11:14AM

morana wrote: »

@12Sprocket

Whats your views on him going to the Swiss?

By the way I respect your position I wont attack it but may have in the past and if I did I apologise for particularly calling you "deluded" although I know you will appreciate I had the "knifing in the back" accusation at that board meeting. Lets move on.

Morana, Rob Fowler
My views on him going to the Swiss are that, it is what most people in his position would have done in the circumstances. There was clearly a nasty campaign organised against him in this country by the signatories of the file and other.. I think its very naïve of the group to be upset that he doesn't play the game the way they would like him to even though at every opportunity they get they try to denigrate him and fail at any time to give credit for achievements.
Also let me say that of the five people who are supposed to be embedded? in irish cycling that 3 of them must be so well embedded that their visibility is very low because the only two I who actually know anything about who have done anything for cycling are Anto Moran and Dr Mc Grane.

Junior · 05-06-2013 11:25AM

12 sprocket wrote: »

Morana, Rob Fowler
My views on him going to the Swiss are that, it is what most people in his position would have done in the circumstances. There was clearly a nasty campaign organised against him in this country by the signatories of the file and other.. I think its very naïve of the group to be upset that he doesn't play the game the way they would like him to even though at every opportunity they get they try to denigrate him and fail at any time to give credit for achievements.
Also let me say that of the five people who are supposed to be embedded? in irish cycling that 3 of them must be so well embedded that their visibility is very low because the only two I who actually know anything about who have done anything for cycling are Anto Moran and Dr Mc Grane.

What are his achievements ?

RyanAndrew · 05-06-2013 11:30AM

In his letter PMcQ says

[Removed Image]

but CI didn't "endorse" the nomination , did they - I can't find it on the website. They acknowledged it ok but that's not endorsing. And their initial decision was to nominate him not to endorse the Swiss nomination as that came later. If I'm correct , then the statement from PmcQ is factually wrong and misleading. And appears to paint him in a better light than the facts allow for.

happytramp · 05-06-2013 11:37AM

Junior wrote: »

What are his achievements ?

To be fair I think 12sprocket has outlined why he/she thinks Pat has done a good job in previous posts.

Lumen · 05-06-2013 11:40AM

12 sprocket wrote: »

There was clearly a nasty campaign organised against him in this country by the signatories of the file and other.. I think its very naïve of the group to be upset that he doesn't play the game the way they would like him to even though at every opportunity they get they try to denigrate him and fail at any time to give credit for achievements.
Also let me say that of the five people who are supposed to be embedded? in irish cycling that 3 of them must be so well embedded that their visibility is very low because the only two I who actually know anything about who have done anything for cycling are Anto Moran and Dr Mc Grane.

That's just a bunch of ad hominem attacks. You're (again) trying to turn a debate about competence into a debate about personalities, which is the same tactic McQuaid is using.

Obviously people who believe on balance that McQuaid should not be president are not going to spend a lot of time giving "credit for achievements", since that would distract from their objective, which is to remove him.

McQuaid is a talented, successful person. I, and others, just wish for his talents to be employed somewhere other than in the governance of the UCI.

LeftBlank · 05-06-2013 11:58AM

happytramp wrote: »

To be fair I think 12sprocket has outlined why he/she thinks Pat has done a good job in previous posts.

S/he hasn't really though. I just went back through their previous posts and I can't see anything that says why they believe PMcQ is the man for the job. In fact, a lot of their posts are attempts to discredit the people against PMcQ.

12 sprocket · 05-06-2013 12:08PM

Junior wrote: »

What are his achievements ?

Junior theres a letter from the Board of Cycling Ireland to their members from cycling ireland website outlining their rationale for voting yes in the first place, I would concur with a lot of that.

Board Statement re Mr. Pat McQuaid Nomination for UCI Presidency

Atits meeting of 12thof April 2013, the Board of CyclingIreland decided to nominate Mr. Pat

McQuaidto stand for the UCI presidency. Legal advice received subsequent to thisdecision has

resultedin the Board convening an EGM on the nomination for the 15th of June, 2013.

Followingrequests from members the Board is happy to outline the rationale forsupporting the

nominationof Mr. Pat McQuaid at its 12thof April meeting. This support was basedprimarily on the

followingpoints:

· Cycling Ireland nominated Mr. Pat McQuaid to stand as acandidate; it was felt he should be

judgedon his record by the delegates at the UCI Congress in September. Not to let himstand

wouldbe to act as ‘judge and jury’ and deprive other cycling nations an opportunityto debate

anddeliberate on the selection of the UCI President.

· Initiatives such as:

o Globalisation of cycling;

o Gender equality of Olympic cycling program;

o Introduction of BMX discipline to the Olympic program;

o Adoption and promotion of Paracycling programs.

· Anti-Doping Initiatives introduced during his terms:

o Biological Passport System;

o Whereabouts system;

o No Needles Policy;

o True Champion or Cheat Program;

o Introduction of confidential hotline.

· Undertakings with regard to governance changes to bebrought to the UCI Management

Committeeas per Cycling Ireland’s press statement of 12th ofApril – see HERE.

· His contributions to the development of Irish Cyclingrecognised with an Honorary Life

Membershipand his continued assistance and support to our Federation.

Itwas felt based on the above, and after prolonged deliberation of the availablefacts, that he was

deservingof Cycling Ireland’s nomination.

Cycling Ireland Board

16th May 2013

Chips Lovell · 05-06-2013 12:11PM

Folks, we've had a good debate on this to date, so this is just a general reminder to please keep this civil and refrain from personal attacks on other posters.

Thank you

pelevin · 05-06-2013 12:24PM

So Pat McQuaid took more or less one day to write and send a long character-staining letter about Brian Cookson out to the cycling federations once Cookson had the temerity to go forward for the UCI Presidency. Is this what most people would have done in the circumstances?
Pat McQuaid thanks the relevant cyclists who came forward in the Armstrong case and gave evidence. A few minutes later he calls the two main protagaonists in that whole affair "scumbags." Is this what most people would have done in the circumstances, and is it appropriate language of someone who represents cycling in a dignified manner? Like presumably most Irish I'm pre-inclined to support my own but I'm afraid to me this is the behaviour more of a back-street bully defending his territory in however dirty a manner does most damage to perceived threats, and who I cannot support.

Quigs Snr · 05-06-2013 12:34PM

12 sprocket wrote: »

Morana, Rob Fowler
My views on him going to the Swiss are that, it is what most people in his position would have done in the circumstances. There was clearly a nasty campaign organised against him in this country by the signatories of the file and other.. I think its very naïve of the group to be upset that he doesn't play the game the way they would like him to even though at every opportunity they get they try to denigrate him and fail at any time to give credit for achievements.
Also let me say that of the five people who are supposed to be embedded? in irish cycling that 3 of them must be so well embedded that their visibility is very low because the only two I who actually know anything about who have done anything for cycling are Anto Moran and Dr Mc Grane.

Well since we are talking elections here lets recap on a little democracy 101..... if you are a stakeholder even a lowly A4 struggling in the local league or whether you are a pillar of the cycling community volunteering all your spare time... or even if you just won the tour... the beauty of democracy in theory at least is that all those votes carry equal weight.

To effectively attack some of the signatories as nobodies like you have... well that says a lot about someoneI. I'm no idealist. .. the big names can and do influence these votes... says a lot though that Mcquaid with wide open media access is almost certainly going to be tarred, feathered and run out of town by these nobodies... even taking a neutral standpoint of someone who knows nothing about the whole affair, that in itself raises huge credibility questions

McQuaid nominated unanimously by Switzerland (read warning post #78)

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