Cycling Ireland decides key McQuaid decision

Cycling Ireland’s honorary president Rory Wyley is remaining tight-lipped on the likely outcome of today’s crucial board meeting which willdiscuss whether UCI President Pat McQuaid will be nominated by the Irish federation for election to a third term of office at the world governing body.

The embattled McQuaid will speak to the eight-man board prior to the meeting, in a bid to convince them he is the man to lead the UCI.

Should he be successful, he will face an international vote in September, when the new president will be ratified.

“There is a board meeting on this Friday which will be discussing Mr McQuaid’s request for a nomination, and other than that, we won’t be saying anything,” said Wyley.

“All I can say is that we will be deliberating and discussing the matter, so no further comment.”

McQuaid is said to be very anxious to avoid the embarrassment that would arise from any outcome other than the immediate and unqualified backing of the board.

McQuaid cannot run for reelection without getting a nomination.

If Cycling Ireland decided it was not going to nominate him, he could go to other national federations and seek a nomination, such as Switzerland, where he resides for a large part of the year in his role as UCI president.

However, any difficulty in securing the nomination from his homefederation would be a major embarrassment for him.

Cycling Ireland nominated him on both previous occasions he ran for president.

Cycling Ireland had previously said it would await findings of an independent commission, instigated by the UCI, into the role of the governing body in its handling of the Lance Armstrong affair before deciding if it would back McQuaid.

However, that process has fallen apart and a report promised by June will not now materialise.

While McQuaid is seen as a controversial and divisive figure, when the issue of nominating him or not was discussed from the floor at last year’s Cycling Ireland AGM, many delegates spoke in favour of him.