Wishing to prevent and sanction all forms of abuse (notably sexual harassment) in cycling more effectively, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has adopted a series of measures. These aim to promotie integrity, not only when it comes to its regulations and processes, but also with new education initiatives.
To reduce the length and complexity of proceedings opened for violations of its Code of Ethics, the UCI decided to entrust its Ethics Commission with full sanctioning powers. The Commission can therefore impose sanctions without referring, as was the case previously, to the UCI Disciplinary Commission.
An obligation for the Ethics Commission to inform complainants was also approved, whereas until now only the parties against whom the proceedings are directed have received procedural rights and information.
Finally, the Code now provides for various measures and sanctions that can be imposed by the Ethics Commission, including provisional sanctions, preventive and/or coercive measures to avoid conflicts of interests and suspended sanctions which may be accompanied by educative measures.
As the prevention of abuse is a fundamental part of the UCI’s integrity programme, several actions will be rolled out very soon. The UCI’s new website, which will be launched in September 2021, will include pages dedicated to the protection of athletes and everyone working in cycling.
These pages will contain general awareness information, for example video tutorials provided by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The pages will also include a reporting system to enable anonymous notification of inappropriate conduct.
To reinforce its programme of abuse prevention, the UCI will appoint an Integrity and Education Manager by the end of September 2021 at the latest. This person will be in charge of establishing education and awareness courses for all cycling’s families, and managing the reporting system for harassment and abuse.
The UCI has also decided to strengthen its arsenal in the fight against technological fraud. After the introduction of magnetic tablets in 2016 and mobile X-ray technology in 2018, a third tool will soon be used to detect any possible use of motors hidden in tubes and other bike components.
‘During the 2021 season, a device using backscatter technology combining the advantages of the two tools already used by the UCI will join the range of equipment available to the federation. Not too big, and relatively light (a little more than 3kg), this piece of technology much like a camera can be easily transported and manipulated by the inspectors. It will provide instantaneous images of the interior of the sections examined that can be transmitted, remotely, directly to the UCI Commissaires.’
When it comes to events, after a first edition of the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships – organised on 9 December 2020 – the Olympic Virtual Series, the new virtual circuit launched by the IOC which includes cycling, is in full swing.
‘For the UCI, it is necessary to guarantee the integrity of competitions (especially with the certification of home trainers used at different levels of competition and increased monitoring of riders’ data).’
A more detailed development plan for the discipline will be presented to the UCI Management Committee in September 2021.
UCI President David Lappartient, said “It is fundamental for the UCI to ensure the wellbeing of athletes, be it their safety, physical health or mental health. With the strong decisions taken today to fight against all forms of abuse in cycling, through prevention, education and improving procedures, and which come on top of measures already implemented in the domains of safety and health, the UCI has armed itself with effective tools to combat this scourge. Inappropriate behaviour has no place in cycling.
“In another area touching on integrity, I am pleased to be able to announce the reinforcement of the UCI’s arsenal to fight against technological fraud. With the magnetic tablets, mobile x-ray technology and most recently backscatter technology, we now have an effective assembly of tools, more dissuasive than ever, to detect all forms of mechanical cheating.”
