The Cycling Independent Reform Commission (CIRC) announced today it’s terms of reference – specifying that the time period which will be examined will be the years 1998-2013.
In addition, the CIRC also announced it has the authority to propose reduced sanctions and stated that it will offer bigger reductions for testimony which provides "valuable information" of rule violations or "other significant anti-doping relevant circumstances".
However, reduced sanctions will not be available to those who are currently serving bans, but the CIRC did open the door for individuals such as Lance Armstrong by stating, "on a case by case basis, the CIRC can recommend an ad hoc reduction in sanction for a License Holder who is currently serving a period of ineligibility".
The CIRC stated that, "investigation into UCI past wrongdoings will also be a core part of the CIRC mandate".
The commission called for testimony in what it says will be a "strictly confidential" investigation, and offered reduced sanctions to any license holders (riders, officials, agents, organizers, team staff) who admit to anti-doping rule violations. Riders will not be asked to return prize money gained during the period of their anti-doping rule violations.
"The investigation’s primary objective is not to punish anti-doping offences by single riders, but rather to identify and tackle the practices and networks that have instigated and/or facilitated doping in cycling over the relevant period," the CIRC press release stated.
"The final objective of the investigation shall be the production of a comprehensive report illustrating the causes of, and responsibility for, the doping practices that took place within the relevant period and to make targeted recommendations to the whole cycling family."
Furthermore, the CIRC, it said, will "conduct its investigation on a strictly confidential basis and will take all measures necessary to guarantee such confidentiality."
Swiss politician and former state prosecutor Dick Marty will head the commission, along with anti-doping specialist, and CAS arbitrator, Ulrich Haas and former Australian military officer, Peter Nicholson. Assisting the mwill be Aurélie Merle, who has experience in investigation and justice work for the UN.
Haas is a highly respected CAS arbitrator and handled Alberto Contador’s appeal after his positive test for Clenbuterol and Riccardo Ricco’s unsuccessful appeal against his twelve-year ban.
“Today marks an important step in understanding the past and restoring the credibility of our sport," UCI President Brian Cookson said in a press release.
"The Cycling Independent Reform Commission will not only help us learn from the past, but will also play an important role in shaping our future processes and practices. I committed to this process before I was elected in September 2013 and I’m pleased to see the CIRC fully operational only a few months later. It is essential that the Commission is left to get on with its investigation on a completely independent basis and I have ensured that all the structures are in place to allow this to happen.”
Today, the UCI has also published the CIRC’s Terms of Reference as well as the Regulations governing its operation, including:
The main focus of the investigation shall be to determine the processes and practices in professional road cycling that allowed the culture of doping to perpetuate over a sustained period of time, in particular to discover the main providers and facilitators of doping in cycling in the period 1998-2013. Investigation into UCI past wrongdoings will also be a core part of the CIRC mandate
The investigation’s primary objective is not to punish anti-doping offences by single riders, but rather to identify and tackle the practices and networks that have instigated and/or facilitated doping in cycling over the relevant period.
The final objective of the investigation shall be the production of a comprehensive report illustrating the causes of, and responsibility for, the doping practices that took place within the relevant period and to make targeted recommendations to the whole cycling family.
The CIRC will have the authority to propose reduced sanctions to any License Holder .
The CIRC can reduce the sanction even further if the License Holder also provides valuable information concerning other ADRVs and/or other significant anti-doping relevant circumstances. In addition, if the License holder confesses an ADRV to the CIRC, no return of prize money shall be ordered.
The CIRC’s ability to propose reduced sanctions is limited to License Holders who are not currently serving a period of ineligibility or facing disciplinary proceedings. However, on a case by case basis, the CIRC can recommend an ad hoc reduction in sanction for a License Holder who is currently serving a period of ineligibility. This proposal will have to be approved by the original sanctioning body, WADA and the UCI.
The members of the CIRC will operate on a completely independent basis and will not take any instructions from the UCI.
The CIRC will conduct its investigation on a strictly confidential basis and will take all measures necessary to guarantee such confidentiality.
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