Brian Cookson: UCI should take 'tough decision' to suspend Russian athletes

Former UCI president says cycling's governing body needs to do more after Russian invasion of Ukraine

Brian Cookson
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Russian athletes should be suspended from cycling in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the former UCI president Brian Cookson has said.

Asked if cycling's governing body should follow the International Olympic Committe (IOC) call for international sporting federations and organisers to prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes from taking part in their events, telling Cycling Weekly that it "probably should happen, at the present time".

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Adam Becket
News editor

Adam is Cycling Weekly’s news editor – his greatest love is road racing but as long as he is cycling, he's happy. Before joining CW he spent two years writing for Procycling. He's usually out and about on the roads of Bristol and its surrounds.

Before cycling took over his professional life, he covered ecclesiastical matters at the world’s largest Anglican newspaper and politics at Business Insider. Don't ask how that is related to cycling.