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 A report by the Independent Reform Commission published on Monday
said previous UCI management were more concerned about their own
image rather than tackling doping as the American rode his way to
Tour de France glory from 1999-2005.
"The style of leadership is pretty much criticized in the report and
led to major errors," Brian Cookson told reporters from the UCI
headquarters in Aigle, Switzerland.
He added that the UCI was "trying to control and limit rather than
eliminate (the problem) completely and at the time they always put
the image and the business of the sport before integrity,
transparency and honesty."
The then UCI management's shortcomings were first exposed in 2012
when the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) published their reasoned
decision after banning Armstrong, who later admitted to cheating,
for doping.
"UCI exempted Lance Armstrong from rules, failed to target test him
despite the suspicions, and publicly supported him against
allegations of doping," the report said.
"The report confirms that, for more than a decade, UCI leaders
treated riders and teams unequally, allowing some to be above the
rules," USADA president Travis Tygart said in a statement.
It helped Armstrong cheat his way to Tour de France triumphs,
according to Cookson.
"Clearly, a rider like Lance Armstrong, in 1999, had a positive test
for cortisone (during the Tour de France) and UCI assisted him in
covering that up," the Briton, who was elected in 2013, said.
"That was in my view an absolute critical moment."
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After providing authorities with a backdated Therapeutical Use
Exemption (TUE) following a positive test for cortisone, Armstrong
continued and won the race, which had been labeled the "Tour of
Renewal" one year after the Festina doping scandal.
The UCI is now taking the problem "seriously while other sports are
not taking it seriously," Cookson added.
The UCI boss has a lot on his plate, however, as the CIRC report
showed that doping, if less prevalent, is still endemic, with banned
doctors still operating.
"These things are very difficult for a governing body (to fight
against)," Cookson admitted.
"We'll work closer with governments."
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Patrick Johnston)
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