ASOIF rates UCI second best International Federation in terms of governance

The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is delighted that the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) has ranked the UCI second in its Fourth Review of International Federation Governance (2021-2022).

Sixth in 2020, our International Federation leaps into second place this year with a score of 185 out of 200 (average of 3.7 out of 4 per measurable indicators). This is an extremely significant 15-point increase on the result of the last review (170), when the UCI was already placed in the first category - Group A1 – of International Federations. This time the UCI is in the A1 category alongside the International Federations for athletics, rugby, badminton, equestrian sport, football and tennis.

The review is a vital catalyst for continued improvement. As ASOIF President Francesco Ricci Bitti expressed when launching the review: “The governance of sport organisations continues to attract scrutiny... Sport needs to be credible on and off the field of play.”

A total of 33 ASOIF member federations completed questions concerning diverse aspects of governance. This time the ASOIF included additional indicators relating to policies to encourage more diversity, and the implementation of a risk management programme. The answers were gathered and independently assessed, in order to attribute total scores to each International Federation.

Looking back at previous reviews, the UCI has not ceased its progression:

  • 2017: 126 points

  • 2018: 152 points

  • 2020: 170 points

  • 2022: 185 points

The UCI’s average rating per indicator has improved from 2.52 to 3.7 out of 4 over the course of the past five years. The consistent improvements made have enabled the UCI to remain classified among the top tier of IFs on each occasion.

This growth has been constant and spans crucial advances in each of the five following areas:

  • Transparency: especially in relation to the increased transparency of Congress via live-streams and the publication of agendas, minutes, and voting results.

  • Integrity: thanks to the impetus of the Cycling Integrity programme, which includes:

    • preventative actions and educative programmes on safeguarding, prevention of competition manipulation and anti-doping

    • remedial actions, with the creation of an anonymous UCI reporting platform, and the promotion of REVEAL for anti-doping concerns

  • Democracy: with enhanced transparency of electoral processes within our Continental Confederations and the considerable increase in the number of women in the bodies of the UCI and its Continental Confederations.

  • Development: through the promotion of ‘cycling for all’ and the development of a wide-ranging sustainability programme.

  • Control mechanisms: for example, the autonomous sanctioning power given to the UCI Ethics Commission and the increased power to address situations of conflicts of interests.

These elements bring us right on track to now focus on the UCI’s Agenda 2030, approved last week by the UCI Management Committee meeting in Arzon. This roadmap for cycling over the next eight years markedly embraces the consolidation of good governance.

UCI Director General Amina Lanaya declared: “Good governance is key to the further development of our sport and its credibility, and this extremely positive result from the ASOIF’s Fourth Review of International Federation Governance is demonstration that the UCI continues to lead by example. Our score has increased with each review, which is recognition and confirmation of our efforts when it comes to governance. This propels us to keep striving for optimal organisational behaviour and stakeholder relations as we guide our sport into the future.”

Fourth Review of International Federation Governance