July 5/07 9:20 am - Riders Respond to UCI Anti-doping Declaration

Posted by Editor on 07/5/07
 

Riders Respond to UCI Anti-doping Declaration

The CPA - Professional Cyclists' Association - has responded to the UCI's Riders' Anti-doping Declaration with a demand for a similar document that must be signed by team managers, doctors, staff and event organizers:

Professional Riders' Declaration

In their concern of equality and transparency, the professional riders require from the UCI, with the greatest firmness, a commitment as rigorous as the one they (the riders) have signed, is drawn up and presented for signature to: the managers, team directors, doctors, staff of the teams and organizers.

It is neither conceivable nor acceptable that the rules for the practice of a clean cycling are applied to the riders only. In order to clean the sport of cycling, and put an end to the surrounding hypocrisy, every person working in our environment must assume his responsibilities, whatever his role and his notoriety in our sport are.

The commitment signed by the riders will be of real value only when all the actors of professional cycling will commit themselves as well.

That commitment must come into force as soon as possible, so that the competition recovers a credibility that is essential for the public, the sponsors and the media.

The UCI Rider's Declaration can force a rider to forfeit up to a year's salary if they are caught doping. All participants in the Tour are required to sign, but many riders are concerned with the legality of the document, and the fairness of putting the onus of responsibility solely on the riders' shoulders.

Our prediction? This will go over like a lead balloon with the teams and Directors, and the chances of anything substantive being put in place are slim.