- Title: ITALY: Brian Cookson says he can help cycling heal its wounds
- Date: 27th September 2013
- Summary: FLORENCE, ITALY (SEPTEMBER 27, 2013) (REUTERS) BRIAN COOKSON POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS AFTER UCI VOTE VARIOUS COOKSON POSING WITH DELEGATES BRIAN COOKSON AT NEWS CONFERENCE MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) UCI PRESIDENT BRIAN COOKSON SAYING: "We worked very hard, we had a good team of people working with us and at the end of the day we got the result that we were hoping for. I think the 24-18 is a good substantial majority and I think it gives out a very strong message, and that message relates to the second point of your question. Which is, yes, I do believe I am a candidate that will support and has been elected with a mandate for change at UCI and that is what I am going to do. " MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) UCI PRESIDENT BRIAN COOKSON SAYING: "All of the things that I have been proposing in my manifesto around that, the independant doping agency, the quick review of all the problems of the past, the investigations into the allegations, all of those things will help and certainly we will try and do as many improved commercial broadcasting deals as we possibly can when I take up my role." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) UCI PRESIDENT BRIAN COOKSON SAYING: "I am very confident that I can help cycling heal the wounds that it has inflicted on itself largely and I am really looking forward to that task." OUTGOING PRESIDENT PAT MCQUAID STANDING WITH DELEGATES (SOUNDBITE) (English) OUTGOING UCI PRESDIENT PAT MCQUAID SAYING: "The election is over, democratic election, congress has decided and we have a new President. So good luck, I wish the new President the best of luck." VARIOUS DELEGATES
- Embargoed: 12th October 2013 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Italy
- City:
- Country: Italy
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVAC19SXFAGMK7SE4T4Q0TT0ADEF
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: Brian Cookson said on Friday afternoon (September 27) that his victory in the UCI (International Cycling Union) Presidential race was an indication that the cycling world wanted change.
Speaking after an arduous day of sometimes farcical discussions and debate, Cookson said he had achieved the result he had been working for.
"We worked very hard, we had a good team of people working with us and at the end of the day we got the result that we were hoping for," he said.
Cookson was elected with 24 votes to 18 towards the end of the chaotic UCI congress in Florence.
"I think the 24-18 is a good substantial majority and I think it gives out a very strong message, and that message relates to the second point of your question. Which is, yes, I do believe I am a candidate that will support and has been elected with a mandate, for change at UCI and that is what I am going to do," he said.
Cookson has headed British Cycling since 1997 and has based his candidacy on restoring trust in the UCI, which was criticised heavily for not doing enough to catch drug cheat Armstrong, who was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles last year.
"I am very confident that I can help cycling heal the wounds that it has inflicted on itself largely and I am really looking forward to that task" Cookson said.
Former UCI President Irishman Pat McQuaid, who was seeking a third consecutive term, was tight-lipped following the announcement of Cookson's victory.
"The election is over, democratic election, congress has decided and we have a new President. So good luck, I wish the new President the best of luck" McQuaid said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None