UCI holds off on Kimmage pursuit

The UCI and its current and former presidents, Irishman Pat McQuaid and Dutchman Hein Verbruggen have suspended plans to sue Irish journalist Paul Kimmage.

The court date was scheduled for December 12 in Switzerland and centred on Kimmage calling the UCI and McQuaid “corrupt” but yesterday, at a specially convened management committee meeting in Geneva, the sport’s governing body decided to push back the date of the case indefinitely.

On Tuesday, McQuaid remained steadfast in his decision to pursue the former cyclist.

He told Pat Kenny on RTÉ Radio 1: “This is nothing to do with Paul Kimmage writer of ‘Rough Ride’. This is nothing to do with Paul Kimmage anti-doping advocate. This is nothing to do with the Paul Kimmage that I knew very well as a cyclist. This is to do with a journalist who went over the line and who called me corrupt. And I will not accept that on my behalf nor on my family’s behalf, who are living in Ireland.”

The decision to halt the action comes on the same day it emerged that a fund set up to pay for Kimmage’s defence had passed $80,000 (€61,000) and more than 2,000 people had contributed.

Kimmage had said he planned to “fill a jumbo jet” with witnesses that would speak in his defence.

The UCI also revealed plans to put in place an independent commission to investigate various allegations against the UCI relating to the Armstrong affair.

It also emerged yesterday that Lance Armstrong’s seven yellow jerseys won in the Tours de France between 1999 and 2005 would not be redistributed to those below him on General Classification.

A statement from the organisation read, “With respect to Lance Armstrong and the implications of the USADA sanctions which it endorsed on Monday, October 22, the management committee decided not to award victories to any other rider or upgrade other placings in any of the affected events. The committee decided to apply this ruling from now on to any competitive sporting results disqualified due to doping for the period from 1998 to 2005, without prejudice to the statute of limitation.” The committee also called on Armstrong and all other affected riders to return the prize money they received.

Meanwhile, German sprinter Marcel Kittel (Argos-Shimano) vented his fury on twitter over riders who voiced their support for the disgraced American. “I feel SICK when I read that Contador, Sanchez & Indurain still support Armstrong. How does someone want to be credible by saying that?!” Kittel tweeted, following recent pro-Armstrong comments made by the three Spaniards in the press.

He further added: “I mean, it makes it all worse. They should play their false game somewhere else. Or do they ride for money instead of joy?!”