CyclingBC Turns Down Prize Money Donations for Equal Prizing

[Roland]

There has been a movement in BC to provide equal prize money for men and women at Cyclocross Nationals on Saturday, Nov 17th. The following clubs and people helped raise $2100 in a matter of a few weeks: Atomic Cycling Club, West Coast Racing, Interior Cross Series, Dwyane Kress, Trail Bikes-Eatmore Sprouts, Pedal Mag, Tara and Mike Pollock, Cross on the Rock #5 Crosstoberfest, Cross on the Rock #6 Binab Property GP, Pumpkin Cross, COTR Series General, Pro City Cycles Club, OrganicAthlete Victoria, Jak New and the Escape Velocity/Garneau Evolution crew. Enough money for equal prizing.

Unfortunately the money will only be accepted if it is donated with 'no string attached' to be distributed unequally between men and women. The response from Kevin MacCuish / Cycling BC:

I'll also point out that we didn't ask anyone to take up a collection to contribute to the pot of prize money; you've taken it upon yourself to do that, which makes the money your problem - not ours. The fact that you've done this doesn't obligate us to accept it. We'll only accept it if we get to distribute it as we see fit. So you can either give it to us or not; that's up to you... we don't especially care one way or another.

If you feel prizing should be equal between men & women, please contact Cycling BC and let you feelings be known. Consider attending the AGM as well.
http://cyclingbc.net/cycling-bc/about-us/staff/

Full story:
http://www.mtnbikinggirl.com/index.php/ ... pionships/

[Rolf]

What a dink.

[Lister Farrar]

They have also refused to offer a junior women's category, despite offering a junior men's race. Nor any younger categories, despite road and track national championships this year offering races as young as u13 (non championship at road nationals).

[katew]

You have *got* to be kidding me.

A representative of a governing body actually *wrote that down*?!

What a jerk.

[Lister Farrar]

Got some good advice from Laura Robinson (journalist, advocate, justine Blainey human rights complaint in hockey, John Furlong abuse story) on filing a human rights complaint. Anyone want to help? She suggests warning CCC that it will happen to give them a chance to recant. So it could result in a change to the championship as early as today.

[JohnT]

I didn't read the full story, but all he is really saying is that a contribution/donation is just that, and it doesn't carry with it any control over it's use. Though his bedside manor sucks, the prognosis is reasonable.

JT

[Lister Farrar]

I didn't read the full story, but all he is really saying is that a contribution/donation is just that, and it doesn't carry with it any control over it's use. Though his bedside manor sucks, the prognosis is reasonable.

JT

How's that? Equal prizes is something they have a right to reject?

And any sponsorship carries obligations. Why would an obligation to respect a request with sponsorship, which is what the organization wants, be reasonable?

[JohnT]

I am not agreeing with a discrimination policy, just recognizing that I shouldn't be able to change a policy simply by being a wealthy donor. For example, what if I send them $5,000 for the first male (or female) across the line right after you send them money that makes the men's and women's prize equivalent?

JT

[mtnbikinggirl]

Thought this might interest everyone:

http://www.canadiancyclist.com/cycling4 ... p?id=25310

Article in full is below:

Yesterday, a broadcast e-mail from Dave Shishkoff (of the Cross on the Rock - CotR - series organization) started a bit of a firestorm regarding prize money for the Cyclo-cross Nationals on Saturday and UCI race on Sunday. Some websites published the statements he made that Nationals organizer Kevin MacCuish was refusing extra funds for prize money; we said that we would not do so until we had had a chance to hear from MacCuish. Which we now have and, as you might suspect, the situation is not black and white...

To provide an overview: The Nationals organizer was not originally intending to provide cash prizes at the Championship Elite races on Saturday; they are not required by regulation, and funds were tight. They were also going to provide the UCI minimum prize list for a C2 category event to be held on Sunday - 25 deep for men and 15 deep for women (and not equal in the amounts awarded for placings).

The Cross on the Rock group felt that it was important for prizes to be awarded at Nationals, and that the prize lists should be equal (for example, 12th should get the same amount for men and women), so they started to raise funds to address the situation. This is an admirable goal, and they raised an impressive $2100 (at last count) through their own races and through other events held by other organizers.

While this was happening, the Nationals organizers received an infusion of sponsorship funding, and decided to offer three-deep prizes at the Nationals (equal for men and women) and, for the first third of the women's field in the (Sunday) C2 race provide equal prize monies. This meant that, if there were 18 women in the race, the first six would be paid at the same level as the men.

According to MacCuish, the decision was made when there were only 13 women registered, so if they offered equal prize money down to 15-deep then riders would get a pay day for literally just showing up, which didn't seem appropriate. The organizer would accept the donation, with thanks, but said that they would determine how it would be distributed.

Then the infamous e-mail, with the header: Cycling BC Turns Down Prize Money Donations and Denies Equal Distribution For Canadian Cyclocross National Championships

According to the e-mail, MacCuish had effectively washed his hands of the whole situation, and told the donors that he would not accept their money, stating: "Ok, whatever. We're not accepting the money. If you'd like to spend the day hanging around the finish line handing out cash, go right ahead ... just don't get in the way of the photographers."

So, when we arrived in Surrey, at the site of the Nationals, the first thing we did was go and look up Kevin MacCuish and basically ask "What the heck is going on?"

MacCuish explained that the e-mail took statements he made out of context. "We (he and Norm Thibault of CotR) had been e-mailing back and forth for a few weeks, trying to work things out. We would definitely like to have used the additional funds for the prize purse, but we made it clear, that as the organizer we had to have final say on how it would be distributed. I wasn't prepared to say equal prizes for a small field [of women], because it wasn't appropriate."

He admitted that he was getting frustrated towards the end of this week, and basically closed off the conversation, saying that they (the organizers) could not agree to CotR's demands.

However, with registration closed, it looks like the women's field has grown substantially, and that the organizer will be making an announcement shortly to the effect that equal prize purses will be offered for men and women at Sunday's C2 race (15-deep). The money will come from the organizer, not from CotR; discussions are ongoing as to how that money will be incorporated into the event.

At this time, the prize purse for the National Championship races on Saturday will remain three deep (and equal).

[Lister Farrar]

I believe the sudden infusion of sponsorship is a direct result of the COTR offering cash to equalize the prizes. You can see MacCuish doesn't think women's racing is worth risking 15 prizes on. "Not appropriate" my ass.

What's missing from this last ditch skate is that Normon offered to top up the women's prize on Sunday to match the men (however inappropriate MacCuish thinks that is), AND offered the balance to be shared equally saturday between men and women so there could be some kind of prize for the national champions podium.

MacCuish's ego and bias wouldn't let him accept it. So he 'found' some money.

One good thing; it reveals cycling bc's true opinion of women and its clubs and organizers. Remember that when you attend and vote at the AGM.

[DavidB]

Flip-flopping like a freshly caught salmon:

http://www.canadiancyclist.com/dailynews.php?id=25313

They just announced equal prizes, as well as the establishment of a fund for women to get to nationals next year.