THIS WEEK IN PRO CYCLING »

Get the VeloNews Email Newsletter FREE

  Learn More | Archive
Home » Top Stories » Road »

McQuaid: Teams are signing away their rights

By Agence France Presse
Published: Feb. 28, 2008
McQuaid says ASO imposes unfair requirements
McQuaid says ASO imposes unfair requirements
Photo: Agence France Presse (File Photo)

The Union Cycliste Internationale has warned teams aiming to take part in races run by the powerful race organizer ASO that “unjust” conditions in the company's contract completely eliminate fundamental rights.

ASO runs a number of top events including the Tour de France, Paris-Roubaix and Paris-Nice, the week-long stage race which has become the latest bone of contention in the ongoing feud between the UCI and powerful race organizers.

Following the recent departure of ASO, and fellow organizers RCS (Giro d’Italia) and Unipublic (Vuelta a España) from the UCI's Pro Tour series, ASO announced that Paris-Nice would be held under the auspices of the French Cycling Federation (FFC).

Fuel was added to the fire earlier this week when UCI chief Pat McQuaid asked all teams to boycott the race under threat of possible sanctions.

That call was rejected Wednesday by the president of their representative body, Eric Boyer, who said the International Association of Professional Cycling Teams (AIGCP) had taken a "purely sporting decision."

"The AIGCP came to this decision purely in the interests of the riders and the team sponsors,” Boyer said Wednesday, noting that the “AIGCP has informed Pat McQuaid of its decision."

Now, the week-long “Race to the Sun,” which gives a good indication of who could be on-form for the more important races in the season, will go ahead as a non UCI-sanctioned event.

The UCI believes however that ASO could abuse its power by making “unfair” demands on teams intending to compete, and has sent a letter to each team warning them of the conditions set out in ASO's contract.

One of the stipulations set down by ASO is for teams to "immediately pull out of the race any rider or staff member whose presence could damage the reputation of the event, or the organizer."

That move is in direct response to the numerous doping scandals which have marred the Tour de France, including last year's edition when riders from Astana, T-Mobile, Cofidis and Rabobank further discredited the event.

McQuaid warned in his letter that it was wrong for ASO to determine unilaterally the reasons to expel individuals from its races.

"I would like to impress on you the following. The signing of this contract would mean that your team would put itself completely outside the UCI,” McQuaid wrote. "By signing the contract you would be joining a private circuit controlled entirely by ASO for the benefit of its commercial interests.

"You would be abandoning the protection afforded by rules of the UCI which are designed to give teams and riders rights and not simply protect the interests of organizers."

McQuaid also hit out at a "completely one-sided contract in favor of ASO,” and said it was devoid of any provisions giving riders the rights to a presumption of innocence in the event of doping suspicion.

"ASO would be able to exclude any rider or even an entire team simply as a result of a mere rumor of doping (article 2.2 and 3.2): the contract provides for no form of appeal to a neutral body in contrast to the UCI's rules which provide for appeal to president of the college of commissaries, the president of the CUPT, the Road Commission or CAS.

"You would be denied this fundamental right of redress," McQuaid said.

ASO's Christian Prudhomme, race director of the Tour de France and Paris-Nice said that teams should have little to worry about.

"We acknowledge the concern this situation may be causing you, but I can assure you that our wishes above everything else are in everybody's interest - preserving the reputation and the longevity of the events which have shaped the history of cycling," he said.