UCI President welcomes disgraced rider’s confession; “cycling is a completely different sport today”
International Cycling Union (UCI) President Pat McQuaid has officially welcomed the decision of Lance Armstrong to confess to doping during his seven years of Tour de France domination, calling it “an important step forward on the long road to repairing the damage that has been caused to cycling and to restoring confidence in the sport.”
During his confession, Armstrong denied allegations that he was helped to cover up positive tests; he admitted that he had made payments to the governing body, but simply “because they asked me to,” describing himself as “no fan of the UCI.”
This, says McQuaid, proves that there was “no collusion or conspiracy” between the American and the sport’s governing body
In an official release, the Irishman also noted that, during the 90-minute interview with US chat show host Oprah Winfrey, Armstrong’s asserted that “cycling is a completely different sport today” than it was during the Armstrong era, despite evidence contained in the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) on the “USPS conspiracy” that is consistent with the American blood-doping during his comeback in 2009.
McQuaid described Armstrong’s confession to doping during his career, and bullying those who stood in his way, as “disturbing”, and particularly noted the admission that Armstrong’s team produced a backdated prescription for a skin cream to explain away his positive test for cortisone early on in the 1999 Tour de France.
McQuaid praised the UCI’s current fight against doping, particularly the biological passport, noting that cycling was the first sport to introduce such a measure in 2008.
Finally, McQuaid welcomed Armstrong’s desire “to participate in a truth and reconciliation process,” despite the fact that the UCI recently ruled out such a process.
Pat McQuaid’s statement in full:
“Lance Armstrong’s decision finally to confront his past is an important step forward on the long road to repairing the damage that has been caused to cycling and to restoring confidence in the sport.
“Lance Armstrong has confirmed there was no collusion or conspiracy between the UCI and Lance Armstrong. There were no positive tests which were covered up and he has confirmed that the donations made to the UCI were to assist in the fight against doping.
“It was disturbing to watch him describe a litany of offences including among others doping throughout his career, leading a team that doped, bullying, consistently lying to everyone and producing a backdated medical prescription to justify a test result.
“However, Lance Armstrong also rightly said that cycling is a completely different sport today than it was 10 years ago. In particular the UCI's introduction of the biological passport in 2008 – the first sports federation to do so - has made a real difference in the fight against doping.
“Finally, we note that Lance Armstrong expressed a wish to participate in a truth and reconciliation process, which we would welcome.”