January 17/13 10:01 am - IOC Board Member Responds to Fears of Cycling Olympic Removal

Posted by Editoress on 01/17/13
 

IOC board member Sir Craig Reedie has responded to statements made by IOC member Dick Pound that cycling could be removed from the Olympics if UCI officials are found to be complicit in a cover up of doping activities, as Lance Armstrong is rumoured to say in his interview with Oprah Winfrey tonight and tomorrow night.

Pound created a firestorm of interest around the world with his suggestion that cycling could be pulled out of the Games, despite the fact that he had no official position as a voice for the International Olympic Committee.

Sir Chris Reedie responded to the Pound statements in an interview on BBC Radio 5 by stating:  "There is clear evidence that cycling is a much cleaner sport than it was so the argument is: 'do you punish all of the current clean riders on the basis people cheated a few years ago?'

"It's a tough call. I suppose it is one of the sanctions. The IOC have become involved with sports which have had problems and helped them resolve them.

"I think the IOC is more likely to take that route rather than just turn around automatically and say 'you're out of the [Olympic] programme'.

"Dick has made those [comments] before, I suppose what he is suggesting is possible but, to the best of my knowledge, it's not currently on the agenda."