UCI Releases Report of Salaries and Anti-Doping Audit and Costs

The UCI today released a report for the first time indicating the salary that former president Irishman Pat McQuaid was earning at the time he lost the election to Brian Cookson. 

Following the first meeting of the UCI’s management committee since Brian Cookson defeated  McQuaid in the UCI presidential election in Florence last month, a statement has been released confirming what salary Cookson will receive and how it compares to McQuaid’s remuneration.

It shows McQuaid was being paid more than $500,000 per year when he left office. Cookson is to take a salary cut and will be paid $378,00. 

The section of the statement that reveals the salary details reads as follows:

“The UCI management committee…. received information on the remuneration in place for the president and the results of the review of that package which was undertaken by the vice presidents. In light of this information the meeting agreed, with the full agreement of Brian Cookson, an annual salary of CHF340,000 (€275,000) for the new UCI president . This package to be subject to an annual review by the newly created remuneration committee.”

It is the first time McQuaid’s salary has been revealed. He had declined to publish details of his salary when in office and those details were not included in the UCI’s annual accounts.

The UCI statement added the extraordinary meeting of the management committee held today, Tuesday, had also agreed “a number of important measures aimed at restoring trust in the UCI and laying the foundations for renewed growth in cycling worldwide”.

Most of the measures seek to progress promises made by Cookson during the recent election, including efforts to establish an independent anti doping operation next year and also investigating allegations of past wrongdoing at the UCI. Specifically they include:

• A full audit of the systems and controls currently employed by the UCI’s anti-doping operations to ensure that they are working efficiently. The audit will also be used as a basis to create a clear roadmap for setting up an independent UCI anti-doping operation in 2014.
• The broad principles under which it intends to move forward with the implementation of an Independent Commission which will look into allegations of past wrongdoing at the UCI and the extent and roots of doping in cycling. The objectives of the Independent Commission are in line with the manifesto of Brian Cookson, to re-establish trust in the UCI and restore confidence in the sport of cycling. UCI will continue its discussions with WADA and other stakeholders to finalise the Independent Commission’s framework.
• The establishment of an International Development Commission to review the wide-ranging work of the UCI in this field including the role of Global Cycling Promotion and the World Cycling Centre. The Commission will report its initial findings and recommendations to the next UCI Management Committee in January 2014.
• Supporting the new Women’s Cycling Commission, chaired by UCI Vice President Tracey Gaudry, in its work to appoint members and establish objectives including 2014 recommendations by the end of 2013 on delivering a step change in women’s cycling. Further details on this will be available on the UCI website this week.

Cookson described today’s management committee meeting as an “important moment” for the UCI.

“(We) put in place a number of measures to restore trust in the UCI and ensure our great sport is able to move forward,” he said in a statement.

“I would like to thank my management committee colleagues for the professional and collegiate way they approached today’s meeting and I am encouraged by the strong sense of common purpose.”

“We have made important decisions on women’s cycling, international development, the establishment of a fully independent anti-doping unit and an independent commission to look into allegations of UCI wrong-doing. We have also started the process of modernising the UCI’s constitution.”

“There is a huge amount of work to do in the coming months and beyond, but I am excited by the passion and support my colleagues have shown for implementing a real programme of change for the good of cycling.”