Pat McQuaid talks Lance Armstrong, Floyd Landis, Pierre Bordry
Pat McQuaid, president of the Union Cycliste International (UCI), has responded to the support and opposition to controversial cyclist Floyd Landis’ participation in the New Pathways for Professional Cycling conference. The conference
will be held on September 27 and 28 at Deakin University in Geelong, Australia, the location of the UCI Road World Championships which kick-off on September 20.
The organising committee of the World Championships withdrew its support of the conference when Landis’ participation was announced, but McQuaid has stated that he doesn’t have a problem with his participation, but was critical of
his method.
“My only problem is with [Landis's] modus operandi,” said McQuaid to the Associated Press. “I am aware that there are other very high profile athletes who have also been sanctioned for major doping offences that are assisting authorities in the
fight against doping. However, they choose to do it, to my mind, in the correct way, by working quietly without any hullabaloo.”
Deakin University has expressed their commitment to the conference as planned, stressing that Landis has a right to debate and a valuable contribution to make to the discussion. Landis was the winner of the Tour de France in 2006,
but blood taken during that event tested positive for banned substances. He has since confessed to doping for most of his career and implicated the former US Postal Service team, including Lance Armstrong and Johan Bryneel, in regular doping practices. This
has resulted in an ongoing federal investigation into the former team and the riders and staff members involved.
“They haven’t approached us at all,” said McQuaid. “It’s an investigation that is taking place in America. We’re awaiting the outcome of the investigation.”
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has become involved in the investigation, led by US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) agent Jeff Novitsky. The French anti-doping agency (AFLD), led by Pierre Bordry, will also be supplying the
investigators with the samples taken from Armstrong during the 1999 Tour de France, which he eventually won.
"They can ask us anything, we will do it," said Bordry. "We can either send them the samples or do the testing ourselves."
On Friday, Bordry announced his resignation as the head of AFLD, a post originally due to last until July 1, 2011. It’s no secret that relationships between the AFLD and the UCI have been strained since the UCI nearly wouldn’t let
the French organisation perform the drug testing at this year’s Tour de France. The AFLD had to appeal to the WADA, who allowed them to lead the testing. Bordry had previously openly criticised the UCI for less-than-thorough testing practices.
"Bordry is clearly not in a position to criticize anyone else,” responded McQuaid. “He should shut up and let cycling look after its anti-doping. He seems out to just damage the sport or is looking for publicity and funding."
McQuaid also criticised Landis for accusing his predecessor of accepting a bribe from Armstrong. He explained that Armstrong donated $100,000 to the UCI after his seventh Tour de France victory, and that there was no discrepancy in
the numbers in the paperwork, despite Armstrong saying it was only $25,000.
"$100,000 is the figure and the receipt is available for anyone to see at the UCI headquarters in Aigle," said McQuaid to
Cyclingnews. "I know that Lance said he thought that the figure was $25,000 but that could be because the UCI was actually dealing with Lance's manager Bill Stapleton. Regarding the figure suggested by Sylvia Schenk, that's the figure she's just picked
from the air. The real amount is $100,000."
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