A far greater number of individuals will be bound by the strengthened Code including all UCI staff, consultants and event organisers. The general rules of conduct set out under the new Code are fully in line with best practice and the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC’s) Code of Ethics, covering crucial issues including integrity, neutrality, non-discrimination and conflicts of interest.
In addition, the revised document significantly widens the field of competence of the UCI Ethics Commission which is responsible for ensuring that the Code is respected and implemented. Crucially, the UCI Ethics Commission membership will increasingly be composed of experienced professionals independent from the sport of cycling.
The new UCI Code of Ethics will be published shortly on the UCI website.
The UCI President Brian Cookson said: “The adoption of the newly strengthened Code of Ethics is another very important step towards ensuring the very highest standards of good governance at the UCI.”
The UCI Management Committee also approved a final version of an extensively revised and modernised Constitution to be presented to the UCI Congress in October for its approval. This revised Constitution includes, for the first time, term limits for the UCI President.
The UCI Management Committee also agreed that from 2016 equal prize money will be introduced for the Men Elite and Women Elite team time trials at the UCI Road World Championships. This decision, in line with Brian Cookson’s desire to develop women’s cycling, means that Men and Women across all disciplines, categories and specialities, now benefit from identical prize money at all UCI World Championships. A similar decision has also been taken for BMX Class 1 events.
On the topic of prize money, it was decided that the rider completing the fastest lap at each race of the upcoming 2016/2017 Telenet UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup will receive prize money, equal for Men and Women.
On technological fraud, members of the UCI Management Committee were briefed on the several thousand tests which have been carried out since January 2016. Approximately 2,000 took place at the first Grand Tour of the year, the Giro d’Italia (each rider had their bikes tested on average four times during the three-week event). The tests were carried out using the UCI’s magnetic resistance scanning method which detected a case of technological fraud at the 2016 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships.
In the area of equipment, the UCI Management Committee approved a clarification to its regulations to make it clear that the use of disc brakes – already widespread – is authorised in mountain bike, trials and mass participation (road) events. These clarified rules are applicable with immediate effect. Their use in events on the international or national road race calendars remains suspended at the request of the Association des Groupes Cyclistes Professionnels (AIGCP), supported by the Cyclistes Professionnels Associés (CPA).
The Management Committee also reviewed its rider security action plan, which includes recently introduced rules governing motorcycle rider and car driver behaviour.
The following UCI World Championships were awarded at the meeting:
2017 UCI Indoor Cycling World Championships to Dornbirn (Austria)
2017 and 2018 UCI Masters Mountain Bike World Championships to Vallnord (Andorra)
2017 UCI Junior Track Cycling World Championships to Shenyang (China).
Finally, the UCI Management Committee also approved the 2015 Annual Report and Accounts, prepared for the first time in accordance with Swiss GAAP RPC, providing detailed disclosure of the Federation’s financial performance. The UCI is the first International Federation to fully adopt the revised Swiss Accounting and Reporting Recommendations, as well as the specific Swiss GAAP RPC 21 for non-profit organisations. The 2015 UCI Annual Report will be available on the UCI website with effect from Monday 6 June 2016.
The next meeting of the UCI Management Committee will take place in Doha, Qatar, on October 12 and 13 during the 2016 UCI Road World Championships.