UCI should have a “new start with new leadership”, Tyler Hamilton
Former professional cyclist, Tyler Hamilton has noted that UCI must accept the responsibilities for what has happened to the sport of cycling in the past.
He cited that the organisation must take initiatives and start with a new leadership in order to prevent any further inconvenience.
The American pointed his finger at Pat McQuaid stating that UCI has always backed Lance Armstrong and McQuaid must take the responsibility, as he was the man in charge.
“Lance always had the UCI on his side,” he noted while talking to the German magazine Focus.
“To have a new start, the UCI and President Pat McQuaid must accept the responsibility for the past. A new start functions only with a new leadership, which preferably doesn't come from cycling”.
Hamilton also stated that Hein Verbruggen, the former UCI President, should also resign from his post as a member of International Olympic Committee.
“Instead of seizing an opportunity to instill hope for the next generation of cyclists, he continues to point fingers, shift blame and attack those who speak out, tactics that are no longer effective. Pat McQuaid has no place in cycling," he noted earlier.
Hamilton himself never had the best of the cycling careers, and doping controversies had been a real headline of his professional life.
Starting his career in 1995 with Team US Postal, the American team used systematic doping over the years as reported by USADA in its detailed evidence report.
He also rode for Team CSC (2002-03), Team Phonak (2004), Team Tinkoff Credit Systems (2007) and accepted an offer from Team Rock Racing in 2008.
Hamilton failed his very first doping test but was lucky to survive any major consequences but after failing further tests at the Vuelta a Espana 2004 he was suspended for two-years.
After his return, it didn’t take him long to yet again fool the authorities but was caught one again and faced an eight year ban, which made him retire from the sport.
Tyler admitted that he used performance enhancing drugs in May 2011 and returned his 2004 Olympics gold medal.
On September 2009, the former American cyclist released his book, The Secret Race: Inside the Hidden World of the Tour de France: Doping, Cover-ups, and Winning at All Costs which played an important role in USADA’s investigation into Lance Armstrong.
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