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Pat McQuaid has responded ꦆto Brian Cookson's decision to stand against him for presidency of the UCI by firing off a series of accusations and questions about who is helping and backing his ca𝄹ndidacy and his independence.

In a letter addressed to the presidents of the national federations governed by the UCI, McQuaid questioned why Cookson has done an about turn after publically supporting the Irishma꧅n in January. He also openly quizzed Cookson on his links to Russia's Ig🥂or Makarov, one of McQuaid's rivals on the UCI Management Committee. 

The letter continues by reminding the nation's presiden꧑ts of former public and private statements in which Cookson voiced his support of the current UCI president.

McQuaid revealed that Cookson had offered him his support in a private letter, saying: "ꩵA number of people (outside of UCI circles) have asked me if I would be interested in becoming UCI President ... My response has always been that I am supportive of you, that I do not think you should nor will be resigning, and ♌that it is not on my personal agenda, nor am I seeking that office."

Cookson has told Cyclingnews in 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Q&A interview that he may have initially expressed support for McQuaid but in light of USADA's Reasoned Decision, the failings of the independent commission along with a lack of support from WADA, the British Cycling pr🍷esident changed his stance.

"I thought that at the time it was essential to give Pat McQuaid and the UCI some time to resolve some of the issues and clarify things going forward. Things have not improved in the way that I would have hoped. We're still suffering the same old problems and now we're in the situation where the deadline is fast approaching for nominations of the presidency and I thought the right thing to do was to say that I am prepared to put my head above the parapet and be a candidate and that's why I've changed my mind." Cookson told Cyclingnews.

A pawn in a larger game

McQuaid also expressed a more serious concern over the rumoured links between Cookson and former UCI Management Committee member Wojciech Walkiewicz who, according to McQuaid has been attempting to establish a suitable UCI pres💧idential candidate. If such a link is true, that candidate appears to be Cookson - which troubles McQuaid.

"Mr Walkiew✨icz is employed by UCI Management Committee member Igor Makarov. A number of other Management Committee members have told me that they had been invited to Moscow but had refused. Mr Cookson, however, informed me recently that he was going to Moscow to meet with Mr Makarov and Mr Walkiewicz. I have subsequently had confirmation that at least one meeting took place, although perhaps in a different capital city," McQuaid writes in his letter.

"I fear Mr Cookson may be a pawn in a larger game. Mr Makarov, owner of Katusha, has expressed his anger 💛on a number of occasions that the UCI Licence Commission denied his team a place in the 2013 WorldTour for 'ethical reasons'. The independence and impartiality of the Licence Commission is exactly the sort of positive step forward that the UCI has taken in the past decade."

The Katusha team were initially 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:denied a renewal of its Wo🌺rl♔dTour license for 2013 and were subsequently left off the invited wildcard teams for the Giro d'Italia. It took an appeal to the Court of Abitration for Sport (CAS) before Katusha was 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:finally 🐟awarded its WorldTour license - making for a𓆏n unprecedented 19 top-tier teams for 2013.

"Mr Cookson's decision to announce his candidacy for the UCI President raises a number of important issues. Given all this, I think it is for Mr Cookson to explain his reasons for meeting Mr Makarov at the behest of Mr Walkiewicz. All three men have strong ties to World Tour teams. In the interest of transparency, Mr Cookson must answer a number of questions and I inte🍌nd writing to him to seek clarification..." said McQuaid before listing a number of initial questions relating to the reported ties to the Katusha owner.

In closing saওlvo, McQuaid stated that his priorities for his poss𝔉ible third term will be made public in the coming weeks and that it will have a global focus and "not just British, or Irish, or even Russian."