Vergaanheitsbewältigung
"Coffee time," announces UCI spokesman Louis Chenaille as he enters the room with a tray. This gives Cyclist a chance to take a closer look at Cookson's inherited office. He can see the Velodrome from his window, and various symbolic trophies, including one from FIFA, similarly plagued by scandals, testify to the relationship with other sporting governing bodies. On the shelves are books about Irish legends Stephen Roche and Sean Kelly, which may be a holdover from his predecessor, alongside ominous titles like New Mythology and The Management of Sport Organizations.
Though relics of his predecessors can still be found in his office, Cookson's first point on his program, regaining confidence, presupposes that for a positive future, the past must first be overcome. With this in mind, Cookson created the Cycling Independent Reform Commission (CIRC) as his main vehicle for change. "It consists of three members who had nothing to do with cycling before - three people with decency", he explains. These are a former prosecutor, an anti-doping expert and an ex-military chief investigator.
“We provide the budget”, he explains with a look that shows he fully understands that this is raising eyebrows among the many skeptics. “Simply because nobody else wants to pay for it. We gave them the authority they needed and made sure that neither I nor anyone else from the UCI would interfere with them. They enjoy our full cooperation and have the right to access all files and electronic data.” Hence the nightly IT campaign.
"As far as I know, they have spoken to many important people", says Cookson. And in fact, Lance Armstrong, Pat McQuaid and Alexander Vinokurov, for example, were questioned in detail. The report has been available since March 9th (that is, after this interview took place) and shows the results of 227 surveys on 174 pages. He brings to light what most people had feared anyway: namely that many things in cycling were and are in a bad way. The UCI is said to have actually actively protected Lance Armstrong from the doping control system.
While the independent commission and the disclosure of the President's annual salary (Cookson earns €275.000) are a step in the right direction of restoring confidence, the UCI still has to convince the world that it can deal with eradicating the disease serious about doping. "When I arrived here in Aigle, the first thing I did was call the President of WADA [World Anti-Doping Agency]", says Cookson. “There were big conflicts back then, it was almost a war. But now we work very well together.”
In order to put the past behind, many felt it was inevitable to distance the central governing body from the anti-doping body. As a result, Cookson had retired from the CADF (Cycling Anti Doping Foundation) board so that he "cannot influence who is tested and what disciplinary action is taken." However, that did not stop him from checking the blood values of former Astana driver Roman Kreuziger at the end of last year "very questionable" to call.
Another UCI anti-doping countermeasure is to take responsibility and decision-making for violations, rather than simply accepting the decisions of national federations. For example, a court of arbitration of the Czech cycling association acquitted Kreuziger last September, although the UCI had recommended a four-year ban. As a result, it was decided to bring the case before the Court of Arbitration for Sport CAS. Under the new system, sanctions will be decided in a more centralized manner, with an independent body having the final say. In addition, following several positive doping cases involving the Astana Pro Team and a subsequent investigation, the UCI recently voted in favor of revoking the Kazakh cycling team's license for the 2015 WorldTour. All decisions that deserve praise.
“I also want to be able to complete the reform of professional cycling”, he explains with reference to the structural plans of his predecessor. “We need to focus on developing countries while respecting the heritage of cycling in Central Europe. Most feel that we have too many race days, events are too long and there is too much overlap in the race calendar. However, if you ask the individuals responsible, you will hear: 'Yes, there must be changes. However, I don't know yet if I really want to change my part.'” While men's road cycling is undergoing major structural changes, women's cycling needs to become more professional. Cookson's first 500 days are seen by many as groundbreaking in this regard, with races such as the Women's Tour and La Course. "The women's cycling world cup was also a great success", adds Cookson.
"Condemning women's road cycling to be the little sister of men's road cycling forever is getting us nowhere", he explains. "There are times when that may be appropriate, but there are also times when women's cycling can stand on its own two feet." Cookson believes that the women's racing calendar must evolve independently and not be forcibly coupled to the men's. He has a similar perspective on the issue of wage differentials between male and female professionals.
“It's not just about passing a rule that says women get a minimum wage. I'm happy to say goodbye to that, but would that make money for the sport? The UCI Women's Cycling Commission [chaired by UCI Vice-President Tracey Gaudry] believes it is too early for this, so it will not be adopted yet.”
Get on the bike!
Given Cookson's reserved personality, it's easy to believe that he never dreamed of becoming UCI President one day. However, behind its facade lies the legacy of 16 years with the British Cycling Union. Cookson understands the magnitude of the task, and he exudes a cool confidence that he's the right man for the job.
"If you have to vote in a quasi-democratic partnership structure, in my opinion you have lost sight of the idea of the whole", he explains, referring to the commission-based consensus system that will most likely define his time at the wheel. “If you can't move forward through discussion and consensus building, then it's probably time to start over. We do have votes, after all I wouldn't even be here without the election back then, but I believe that the days of sporting leadership in the style of an emperor are long gone. Those who act like this - one could also name them - come from a different era. I don't want to be like her. The path we are taking is a far better one to work in sport, especially in a sport with so many disciplines and stakeholders, but also one that is extremely complex. Currently, I am enthusiastic about the tasks ahead and eager to continue.”
We're well past our allotted time and the UCI President is dying to get out on his bike. With all the things he has to oversee, it's no wonder he needs time to clear his head. “Just quick for an hour or two”, he says with a smile. "Then I'll come back for the late shift."
<< Back to Part 1: Cookson on his journey to the UCI Presidency