Aigle, Switzerland – Today, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Sir Philip Craven and International Cycling Union (UCI) President Pat McQuaid have signed an agreement for the transfer of governance of Cycling for persons with a disability from IPC to UCI. The signing ceremony took place at the UCI Headquarters in Aigle, Switzerland.

“Over the past few years, IPC Cycling has developed significantly. This transfer of governance will help the sport of Para-Cycling to further develop and the true partnership with the UCI will be of benefit to all cyclists with a disability and the Paralympic Movement,” commented IPC President Sir Philip Craven.

The first step to an enhanced development of Cycling for riders with a disability was made in July 2002, when IPC and UCI signed an agreement of co-operation for successful collaboration in the IPC sport of Cycling. Following several years of close collaboration between IPC and UCI, the UCI Management Committee in 2005 formally indicated their interest in pursuing the governance and management authority role over Cycling for riders with a disability.

In September 2006 at the Sport Forum of IPC Cycling, a majority of the members attending voted for a motion submitted by the IPC Cycling Technical Committee to approve the transfer of governance of IPC Cycling from IPC to UCI. The IPC Governing Board ratified the recommendation at its meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in November 2006.

Said Pat McQuaid, President of the UCI: “The agreement for the transfer of governance of Para-Cycling from IPC to UCI crowns, I am pleased to say, several years of partnership between the UCI and IPC. The UCI is pleased to integrate Para-Cycling in its structures. From now on, the UCI will play the same role for this specialty as it does for all the other Cycling disciplines. It is one of the first International Federations to govern and develop a sport both for able-bodied athletes as well as athletes with a disability. The UCI wishes a warm welcome to all Para-Cyclists and looks forward to organizing the next UCI Para-Cycling World Championships.”

The UCI and the IPC will collaborate with their respective membership to ensure the mainstreaming of Para-Cycling programmes into the national and international competition and athlete development programmes.

Notes to the Editor:

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement. The IPC organizes the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games, and serves as the International Federation for 11 sports, for which it supervises and co-ordinates the World Championships and other competitions. The IPC is committed to enabling Paralympic athletes to achieve sporting excellence and to developing sport opportunities for all persons with a disability from the beginner to elite level. In addition, the IPC aims to promote the Paralympic values, which include courage, determination, inspiration and equality.

The International Cycling Union (UCI), founded in 1900, is the association of National Cycling Federations. In close co-operation with these bodies, it governs, manages and develops Cycling in all its form, with the greatest respect of the fundamental principles of equality, universality and integration.

For further information, please contact Steffi Klein, IPC Communication Manager, on tel: +49-228-2097-230, e-mail: steffi.klein@paralympic.org or go to www.paralympic.org.

Olivier Quéguiner, UCI Sports Department Manager, tel: +41-24-468-58-11 or go to www.uci.ch.

Photo, from left to right: Pat Mc Quaid, UCI and Sir Philip Craven, IPC
Behind: UCI Paralympic Commission President Louis Barbeau, former UCI President Hein Verbruggen, and Tony Yorke, former member of the UCI Commission for cyclists with a disability and IPC Sports Council representative for cycling.