Cycling Meeting Ends In Dispute—And Walk-Out

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30569, 12 October 1964, Page 14

Cycling Meeting Ends In Dispute—And Walk-Out

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) TOKYO, October 11. Australia’s battle to keep cycling in the Olympic Games caused a heated clash and a walk-out at a general meeting of the International Cycling Union last night.

The president, Mr Adriano Rodoni, of Italy, refused to accept a petition presented by Australia on behalf of 22 nations. He walked out of the meeting, 20 minutes after it had begun, following a clash with the Australian and Philippines delegations on the matter. Australia’s delegate. Mr W. Young, and the Philippines delegate, Mr Geruncio Lacuesta, were spokesmen for a petition of 22 nations who asked that separate units were needed to control amateur and professionals within the union. Under A Threat The union is the controlling body for both amateur and professional cycling. Australia is the only country which has separate bodies controlling amateurs and professionals. The International Olympic Committee has directed that amateur cycling must be controlled by a separate body to that which controls the professionals. Cycling, as an Olympic sport, is under the threat of expulsion unless this directive is implemented. When Mr Young and Mr Lacuesta raised the question of the urgent need for separate units, Mr Rodoni insisted the meeting was only to discuss technical problems relevant to the Tokyo Olympics. The two delegates said the matter should be discussed while the delegates of 48 nations were assembled. “Clique Control” But Mr Rodoni insisted it should be discussed at the next meeting of the congress in France next March.

After a clash between the three men. Mr Rodoni suddenly picked up his papers and walked out of the meeting. Technical details for only one event had been finalised when the meeting was closed. Later Mr Young said: "It was the most disgusting exhibition of chairmanship and clique control I have ever seen. Never are there more than 15 to 20 nations at a congress, but today the voice of 48 nations present has been refused.” "Big Three” Control World cycling is virtually i controlled by the "big three” —ltaly. France and Belgium. These three countries have 12 votes each in the U.C.I. while

i all other countries have one vote. Australia, with two controlling bodies, has half a vote each for the amateurs and professionals. Mr Young has been fighting for two years to try and keep cycling in the Olympics. From Australia he had written to 97 nations warning them of the danger of exclusion, and since reaching Tokyo has made personal representation to many cycling delegates Two days ago, at Hachtoji Village, Mr Young and representatives from 12 other nations met to draft last night’s petition. They asked Mr Rene Chesak. of France, the union secretary general, to attend the meeting. He refused.