Cookson wants straight vote after long debate about whether McQuaid’s nomination is valid or not
After an extended back and forth on the matter plus some very robust debates about whether or not Pat McQuaid’s nomination is valid, his presidential rival Brian Cookson has called for a straight vote on the matter.
It means that the 42 delegates will indeed get to determine the next UCI president, even though a question mark remains about whether or not McQuaid’s nomination complies with the rules.
The ongoing UCI Congress had earlier seen a locked 21-21 vote on whether or not changes to Article 51.1 – which determines how candidates are nominated and thus become eligible for election – would be permitted today.
In the buildup to the election several federations had previously lodged proposals to change that article in what was seen as helpful moves for McQuaid. The locked vote today and the need for a majority for those to be considered meant that those retrospective changes would not be voted upon.
McQuaid’s presidential bid thus hinged on the question of whether or not his nominations by the Moroccan and Thai federations were indeed valid. Article 51.1 has previously been interpreted by many as referring to a candidate’s ‘home’ federation as needing to nominate him.
After his support by Cycling Ireland and Swiss Cycling was dropped, McQuaid is drawing on those other nominations. He claims it is sufficient to be a member rather than being from those countries.
After a long period of debate today, it looked like delegates would have to vote first on whether or not McQuaid’s interpretation of the regulations was correct. However, in a move which will – depending on the result – either be seen as rash or election-winning, Cookson has said that he wants the delegates to simply go ahead and name the next president.
“We’ve had enough of this – I’m going to propose that we go to straight to the vote between the two candidates,” he said a short while ago.
That vote is currently taking place and, after those secret ballots are counted, the next president of the UCI will be known.
However today’s proceedings mean it remains possible that legal challenges could be launched afterwards. Several federations are clearly unhappy with how McQuaid’s nomination was secured and if he wins, it is conceivable that the Court of Arbitration for Sport could rule on the matter down the line.