UCI President Pat McQuaid has responded to what he called ?harsh criticism? of cycling?s governing body in the report commissioned by Rabobank over the sacking of Michael Rasmussen, which was published on Monday morning in Holland.
Speaking exclusively to Cycling Weekly, McQuaid said; ?I?ve yet to study the report in detail but I?ve already seen there are several inaccuracies.?
Reacting to the report's accusations that the UCI did not apply its own regulations with sufficent professionalism, McQuaid said ?We did everything in our power in the Michael Rasmussen case, and we acted at all times within the rules and according the information we had.?
McQuaid pointed out that he could not predict the latest developments in the Rasmussen case, with the Dane recently accusing Rabobank of knowing all along where he was during the month of June. Rasmussen also accepted that he lied to the UCI about his wherabouts.
?New information has emerged now, particularly about Rabobank, but the UCI doesn?t have a crystal ball.?
McQuaid added that the UCI would apply any changes to the sanctions for riders missing tests that could well be approved in the WADA Anti-Doping Congress in Madrid this week.
McQuaid also reacted to a claim by French Cycling Federation doctor Armand Megret that there was a lack of organisation in the build-up to the application of the biological passports in 2008. McQuaid told CW that ?everything is going ahead to ensure it?s all in place for January 1st.
?Firstly I?d like to point out that the work on the biological passport was already going ahead for several months even before the anti-doping congress in Paris? - held in late October and where it was agreed that the passport would be implemented in 2008.
?We?ve got a working group which involves WADA, the UCI, and the French government. In fact, they?ve just had another meeting very recently. It?s all going ahead as planned.?
McQuaid told CW that he will be present at the WADA congress in Madrid this week, as part of the UCI delegation. At some point McQuaid himself will be talking to the congress.
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