UCI announces independent audit of federation

The UCI has said that it has engaged an international auditing firm to review the international federation, separate from the Independent Commission looking into the USADA's report on Lance Armstrong. The UCI also announced the four topics which the Stakeholders Commission will consider.

The international auditing firm KPMG, a Dutch firm which is one of the Big Four auditors, will “carry out a review of the governance of the UCI, as well as that of the Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation (CADF), reporting back in time for its findings to be debated in the consultation process,” the UCI said in a press statement Thursday.

“The consultation, looking at cycling’s future, will be entirely separate from the Independent Commission, which is tasked to review fully all the issues contained in the USADA report on Lance Armstrong and the US Postal Service Team.”

In addition, the UCI announced the discussion topics for the Stakeholders, divided into four “pillars”: globalisation; anti-doping; riders; and the sports calendar. “In addition, governance issues will be considered in all four pillars.”

“We saw this year at the Olympic Games in London that cycling is one of the world’s most popular sports, both for participants and spectators, and it has a bright future,” said UCI president Pat McQuaid.  “We want to make it an even more popular sport. This is what the consultation exercise will focus on.”

The stakeholders were consulted as to the topics to be discussed. “We listened to their feedback and have ensured that all their priority issues were included as topics for discussion. We must all work together to recover from the damage which the Armstrong affair has undoubtedly done to our sport, the sport we all love and cherish.”

Further details of the stakeholder consultation exercise will be announced early next month. It will also “be extended to cycling’s millions of fans using social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter.”