UCI ruins cyclist Olympic dream

[Race Radio]

http://espn.go.com/espnw/athletes-l...appointment-breeds-new-energy-kathryn-bertine

Pathetic.

 

[The Hitch]

Very sad. Shame on them.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Suprised?

Not at all. It always goes this way with the UCI. A pathetic excuse for a governing body. More interested in their own image than cycling itself.

 

[craig1985]

Sounds rather petty to me.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

UCI here: just wanted to let you know that our points system is entirely arbitrary and is subject to being changed at a moment's notice to reflect results we'd prefer, or just for the hell of it.

 

[Mambo95]

You can't blame the UCI to sticking to their own rules (see rule 2.1.003 for example). The fault here lies with the race organisers.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

You can't blame the UCI to sticking to their own rules (see rule 2.1.003 for example).

The UCI had no problem bending their own rules to allow Armstrong race the Tour Down Under in 2009.

The fault here lies with the race organisers.

Then they should be punished.
Also - there is the practicality for a race organizer, to attract foreign riders they need to class it as an International Event, if the event was advertised as an International event that's the organizers or UCIs fault - certainly not the fault of the rider.

 

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Pathetic.

Agreed.
..

 

[AntonioRossi]

This is just plain wrong, but what good can you expect from the UCI anymore these days...

 

[Fetisoff]

Ok. Not gonna score any "forum points" on this one, but

 

[Dr. Maserati]

This is just plain wrong, but what good can you expect from the UCI anymore these days...

....to be sued.

 

[danjo007]

wow - i hope she can get there in the end.

 

[Boeing]

Shame. It sounds like the way any youth sports league is run today unfortunately. changing rules to benefit certain members at the expense of others

 

[SHAD0W93]

Hopefully she makes it and the UCI doesn't screw her over again.

 

[Dancing On The Pedals]

Ok. Not gonna score any "forum points" on this one, but

She's not exactly broken any rules - the UCI have taken away her points from a race that they themselves had sanctioned as a race where points towards the Olympics could be scored for no good reason at all. Furthermore, her national title points have also been taken away because the UCI imposed a deadline but neglected to tell her cycling federation about it. That to me is fairly reprehensible on the part of the UCI, particularly for such a small nation like St Kitts and Nevis.

It is not surprising at all which is the real sadness of this story. For a governing body, which is forever going on about expanding the sport, e.g. Tour of Beijing, this is further damning evidence that money talks and everything else can go whistle in the wind. The Olympics, whilst not necessarily the pinnacle of a cyclists career, are for someone from such a small country, what she has been aiming for for the last 6 years. They are meant to be globalizing sport, about the inclusivity and the 'spirit' of the games, and about giving athletes from all over the world the chance to represent their country in the 'greatest show on earth'. By acting in such a mindless and frankly despicable manner, the UCI yet again do more harm than good for this sport. I hope that she is able to re-earn the points that she needs and therefore be able to fulfil her dream.

 

[Fus087]

Another case that shows the UCI's true face. "Globalizing cycling" is their big slogan, isn't it?

Well, when cyclists from small countries take them up on that and actually set out to make it true, they receive a big letdown. First they disqualify an Eritrean AFTER he's ridden the Worlds time trial on a bike that didn't comply to the rules, now they take away points.
I fully acknowledge that formally, the rules have been followed. And I'm a stickler to the rules as much as anyone, if not more than that. But I also believe that in these cases, when it does absolutely no harm (the Eritrean in question would have finished in the last 10), turning a blind eye is possible.

UCI: Set up arbitrary rules for no apparent reason, then leave these rules unenforced, to randomly enforce them when it strikes their fancy.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Ok. Not gonna score any "forum points" on this one, but

Unfortunately, that only applies when the rules are clear and consistent. Right now, people like St Kitts and Nevis only know what the rules ARE when they break them.

Right now it's like Franz Kafka is in charge of the UCI. Only I have a lot of time, respect and love for Franz Kafka and don't want to soil his good name by equating him with Pat McQuaid.

 

[El Pistolero]

I don't want to justify what the UCI did here, but do we really want someone at the Olympics that got the bulk of her points because she won the national title for a small country/island 3 times in a row?

But as I said, UCI shows it true colours once again. Shouldn't have taken those Venezuela points away. That's like taking Niels Albert's UCI points from the WC cyclo-cross away because it wasn't international enough.

 

[Race Radio]

I don't want to justify what the UCI did here, but do we really want someone at the Olympics that got the bulk of her points because she won the national title for a small country/island 3 times in a row?

But as I said, UCI shows it true colours once again. Shouldn't have taken those Venezuela points away. That's like taking Niels Albert's UCI points for cyclo-cross away because it wasn't international enough.

Yes.

The Olympics are about "The Countries of the World" their stated goal is to link the global community through sport. This means you do not have 20 Kenyans in the Marathon, 6 Americans in the 100, or 5 US Basketball teams. Instead you have teams from countries big and small

 

[El Pistolero]

Yes.

The Olympics are about "The Countries of the World" their stated goal is to link the global community through sport. This means you do not have 20 Kenyans in the Marathon, 6 Americans in the 100, or 5 US Basketball teams. Instead you have teams from countries big and small

But the world isn't a perfect global community and it will never become one. Ever heard of the "race to the bottom"?

I'd rather see the best athletes of the world compete against each other instead of wasting spots to athletes who only qualified because they live in a very small nation. But if she's capable of beating a more international field or compete evenly with them, then by all means let her go!

So someone who is better and worked harder than this lady isn't allowed to go because she's from France(for example)? How is that any fairer?

I don't care what ideology the Olympic games have or want to have. Tell me one ideology that perfectly worked/works in practice.

This reminds me of the European championship cross(athletics) where some dude from Monaco had to give up after a few laps while puking the place under.

But ok... Just my opinion, you have every right to want her there I suppose.

 

[Froome19]

So silly and petty.
It seems the UCI is mucking up all their qualifications for olympics. just look at track cycling:
Only 1 representative from each country! That means that of the top 4 in the mens sprint last year only 2 can qualify!
Also the defending sprint champion (hoy) will in most probable circumstance not qualify as he's battling against Kenny (world champion).
I feel the UCI are contradicting themselves by on the track trying to make it more multicultural (by limiting top nations places) and then on the road not letting lower nations riders qualify!

 

[El Pistolero]

So silly and petty.
It seems the UCI is mucking up all their qualifications for olympics. just look at track cycling:
Only 1 representative from each country! That means that of the top 4 in the mens sprint last year only 2 can qualify!
Also the defending sprint champion (hoy) will in most probable circumstance not qualify as he's battling against Kenny (world champion).
I feel the UCI are contradicting themselves by on the track trying to make it more multicultural (by limiting top nations places) and then on the road not letting lower nations riders qualify!

Or how a country like USA can only bring one guy for the TT event at the Olympics. Leipheimer and Zabriskie both deserve to go.

 

[Race Radio]

But the world isn't a perfect global community and it will never become one. Ever heard of the "race to the bottom"?

I'd rather see the best athletes of the world compete against each other instead of wasting spots to athletes who only qualified because they live in a very small nation. But if she's capable of beating a more international field or compete evenly with them, then by all means let her go!

So someone who is better and worked harder than this lady isn't allowed to go because she's from France(for example)? How is that any fairer?

I don't care what ideology the Olympic games have or want to have. Tell me one ideology that perfectly worked/works in practice.

This reminds me of the European championship cross(athletics) where some dude from Monaco had to give up after a few laps while puking the place under.

But ok... Just my opinion, you have every right to want her there I suppose.

You already have these races, they are called the World Championships.

If you do not allow small countries to take part then there is no reason for the Olympics.

 

[El Pistolero]

You already have these races, they are called the World Championships.

If you do not allow small countries to take part then there is no reason for the Olympics.

I'm pretty sure the WC also has small countries at the startline. Small countries can take part if they have good enough athletes. This small island for example has quite some sprinting talent(athletics). So they'll take part of it!

Isn't there a special Olympics for small countries? Why would they have something like that if their ideology says these small countries can come to the big event instead no matter how crappy their athletes are?

The Olympics isn't about small countries by the way, it's about cash. Lot's of it.

 

[Fetisoff]

BTW guys, please remember, this girl was born, raised and lives and trains in the US.