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Monday, July 28, 2008 BBC claims keirin cash ensured Olympics slot by Agence France-Presse at 11:49 AM EST   comments Categories: Track   The International Cycling Union (UCI) has been put under the spotlight by a report which claims the world cycling body was paid to help get track cycling's keirin event on the Olympic programme in 1996. The BBC reported on its website that it possesses documents which "reveal a series of substantial payments to the UCI, which began just two months after the keirin was accepted into the Olympics in December 1996". The report, which was denied by a top Japanese official, claims that a total of three million dollars was "paid by organisers of a Japanese cycling event to the UCI - the world cycling body". A former top official with the UCI, Denmark's Henrik Elmgreen, said it was widely known that the keirin, which in 1992 was in danger of being dropped from the UCI's world championship programme, was pushed through thanks to money. "We must admit that when they came (into the Olympics) it was because the Japanese were very influential in the UCI and they offered a lot of money in order to promote this discipline," he is reported as saying on the BBC. "You can to a certain extent say they bought their way in but on the other hand it is a spectacular discipline. "Everybody knew the Japanese were supporting the (UCI) world cup series and were supporting everything and I think everybody realised that they weren't doing it for nothing. "They wanted something in return and everybody knew what they got in return." When asked to substantiate the claims by the BBC, a top Japanese cycling official identified only as Mr Koramasu, categorically denied any deal having ever taken place. "No transfer of money took place," he said. "What we did is that we supported establishing the cycling training centres in Japan and also we paid the set amount that all the National Federations pay for membership - sort of a membership fee - I have to say I do not know about it at all. "I have been in this position up until 1998 however I've never heard of any direct payment of money or cash." Former UCI chief Hein Verbruggen, who is now a top International Olympic Committee (IOC) official, also denied any wrongdoing. "It's been done in total transparency", he said. "This was done for the development of track cycling around the world." The keirin is one of track cycling's sprint events in which racers are motorpaced by a motor-bike before engaging in a frantic dash for the finish line. The event is big money business in Japan, where it forms an integral part of a multi-million pound betting industry. The UCI reacted to the news by saying it has looked into the matter and found no proof of wrongdoing. "(The) UCI looked into this matter when questions were first raised by the BBC in early June," said a UCI statement. "A thorough examination of our records and interviews with those involved has turned up no evidence that this was anything other than a straightforward, completely proper arrangement to promote track cycling. "It is perfectly logical that UCI would cooperate with Japanese national cycling groups to encourage international interest in track cycling. "The agreement did not include any provision regarding keirin's acceptance as an Olympic sport or even a commitment by UCI to seek its inclusion in the Olympic programme. "To conclude otherwise would be incorrect. In fact, the agreement was signed six months after keirin was entered in the programme, along with three other track cycling events - the men's Olympic sprint and Madison, and the women's 500-meter time trial. "The agreement produced clear benefits for all track cycling disciplines .. it allowed UCI to hire a full-time track cycling coordinator, support track cycling events around the world and contributed to the establishment of a world cycling center, including a velodrome in Switzerland. "In addition, all expenses related to the agreement were reviewed by an independent auditor and deemed proper."       comments Follow @Pro_Cycling Tweet Subscribe via RSS or daily email Contact the editor about this article