India can host World Cups, World C'ships: global cycling chief

With a world-class velodrome available here, Cycling's international body chief Brian Cookson today said that India can host big global events like the World Cup series and World Championships in the near future.
Cookson, who was here for the Asian Track Championships that concluded today at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium velodrome, said he was impressed with the facility and the International Cycling Union (UCI) would be ready to allot big global events if India wants to host them.
"I can tell you, we are in discussion with our friends from the Cycling Federation of India (CFI) about the possibilities of bringing bigger and more events here. It can be World Cup series, we have six of those every year. There is no reason why one of the World Cups cannot come to India," he told reporters at a press conference.

"It can be World Championships perhaps in future years, all these things are possible. We would look to work with the friends here in India and from the government so that these things can happen," he added.
Asked if the UCI was also looking to explore the possibility of developing other forms of Olympic cycling like road cycling, mountain biking and BMX racing, he said, "We are to exploit them in India with the help of CFI and with support from government.
"What is important is how far our friends in CFI have been able to put up strategic plans and whether the towns and cities and governments in the country (India) can provide facilities (for these various forms of cycling)," said the Briton who is expected to seek re-election for a second term later this year.

Cycling has been one of the sports hit by doping scandal in the recent past but Cookson said that his sport has learnt from the mistakes and has done its best to clean it up.

"There are always some percentage of people who try to cheat in any walk of life or in any profession. We are working with WADA to try and see that our processes are as thorough and as independent as possible. We have a Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation which tests all cyclists in international competitions. We have independent judicial bodies that control the tribunals for anti-doping," he said when asked about how the UCI has been tacking the menace of doping.

Cookson said from being a dope-tainted sport, cycling has now become one of the leaders in fighting doping in sport.
"At that time (when doping in cycling was exposed to the world) I don't think people fully understood the depth to which some people had conspired and indulged in doping practices. I want to look forward. We have learnt our lessons from that period and the report of the commission had 35 recommendations. We have fulfilled all those now and from being in a situation where we were in a constant conflict with WADA, we are now strong partners with them.

"We are working in association with a lot of national anti-doping agencies. We have restored the faith and frankly we are now the amongst the leaders in anti-doping. Many of the sports should take note of the work we have done and apply to themselves."
Cookson felt the 37th Asian Championships held here has been very well organised and the standard of competition was high.
"It is great to see so many Asian nations participating. Indian cycling is getting stronger and stronger with continued investment and support for the velodrome and for the national cycling federation and for coaching.
"We have a great velodrome here and we have been supporting it by giving UCI World Satellite Center status to it and we have seen young riders coming through now, a lot of young potential. I think Indian cycling will be stronger and stronger," the UCI chief said with CFI Secretary General Onkar Singh by his side.

Cookson said that cyclists from neighbouring Asian countries can start training at the IGI velodrome and that will benefit the Indians.
"UCI has a training center at our headquarters in Switzerland. We try to bring potential riders there, but we can't bring all riders to Switzerland.
"By establishing a satellite center here, it can host cyclists from nearby countries. It is a part of our international development programme. It will benefit India because Indian potential cyclists can train and compete with other young riders from Asia and nearby countries.