Cookson elected over McQuaid

[gab]

Two articles, one on the result, and one by JV leading up to the vote:

- http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/24300072
- http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/opi ... an-cookson

[Lister Farrar]

Hallelujah! Pretty incredible that despite a closed and corrupt system, mcquaid couldn't buy the votes. Maybe there's hope yet for pro cycling. Cookson has some balls waiving his right to be elected uncontested. Seems to have done good things for cycling in Britain, (along with lottery money). Hope he's up for the messy world he's inherited.

[Rolf]

Moka House heard some whoop-whooping this morning.

I'm off to find a new hobby...

[Lister Farrar]

If you mean scrutinizing the way sport is run, i hope you'll reconsider Rolf. It really needs thinkers like you. The leadership of sport at all levels has a huge effect on the quality of sport, and life skills, our kids get. They can make it petty, stunting and mean, or developmental, celebratory and fulfilling. They need an alert and critical constituency. That's why we have the True Sport logo on our jersey. What kind of sport do we want?

That said, who's up for a road trip to the cycling BC AGM Nov 17? We could ride there and back, drive over with cross bikes and find new mud, or just eat and drink well. Just need to spend a couple hours making sure we do our bit as cycling citizens. The volvo is available.

[Lister Farrar]

Plus, its not over. Cookson said he would "ensure a swift investigation into cycling’s doping culture.” I think there's lots more rocks to turn over. Including in Canada and BC.

Also, how do we prevent this happening again? By most counts 30-odd guys died figuring out EPO, and lots more careers were ruined. Time for legislation in Canada making counseling and administering doping a criminal offense, as much of Europe has done.

I think we'll see the need when floyd and the us govts case against Armstrong goes ahead, as a judge ruled this week. He's going to fight hard when $120 million in penalties is on the line. I expect verbruggen and mcquaid's complicity to be revealed, and it will show that police powers and penalties are needed. That's already been shown with Festina, through giro raids, fda investigation, etc. And we have NONE of that capacity, legally, in Canada. We could be in the unenviable position of launching the first world congress on antidoping in 1989 after Ben Johnson, and one of the last developed countries to enact laws against it.

[Rolf]

Don't worry, Lister. Cycling politics are evidently like crystal meth for me...

For example, join me in watching these scintillating video highlights from today's Congress proceedings in Florence. My Buddha, I need a life.

Also: check out this report presented today by the UCI "Ethics" Commission to Congress. That's some independent process Pat set up for inquiring into the UCI scandals of the day. To hear how Confederations pick their delegates to the Management Committee really rankles: a stay in a fancy resort located in—and all expenses paid for by—a candidate's nation, secret ballots, oy vey...

The good thing out of all this bullshit with McQuaid is that it should ultimately strengthen and improve the sport's governance as it's brought so much attention to the center of the sport.

p.s. I'm in the middle of a Vancouver trial Nov. 17, so hanging out with a bunch of smelly crossers on a Sunday afternoon may be just the ticket.

[leftcoaster]

Best quote following Cookson's win.....

Jonathan Vaughters (Twitter): “I suppose 7am is too early to start drinking in celebration?”

[sylvan]

I'm off to find a new hobby...

The vote was only 24-18. There's still work to do.