Cyclists may suffer association’s problems

Jose Manuel Pelaez Rodriguez, President of the Pan-American Cycling Confederation, left Belize today after an unsuccessful meeting with Minister of Sports Herman Longsworth on the cycling controversy. Longsworth held a press conference on Wednesday at which he revealed that the discussion with Pelaez Rodriguez had fallen apart and there was the real threat of international sanctions. That would mean that Belizean riders would be unable to participate in cycling competitions outside of Belize. But all is not lost, at least not yet, since Longsworth says he is trying to establish his own lines of communication with the International Cycling Union.

Herman Longsworth, Minister of Sports

Herman Longsworth

“Mr. Pelaez Rodriguez insisted that the only constitution that UCI will recognize is that which was supposedly drafted in 2006. I asked Mr. Pelaez if they, COPACI/UCI, had any record to substantiate the legitimacy of that document. And he himself could not say yes; he could not indicate that yes they can prove that the general body of the Belize Cycling Association had actually endorsed that document. But they continue to insist that because it was as close to the UCI draft of the constitution; that is the constitution we must have. I have made it quite clear to all, including Mr. Pelaez; that the issue here is not the contents of the constitution, but the legitimacy of the constitution. I have opted to write UCI. I am currently in dialogue with UCI, Misses Raymond, and I am hoping that I can get to have a better conversation with them in the very short term. I have written her again today and I am hoping to get a response from her in the next couple of days.”

The threat of sanction will have to be dealt with sooner rather than later. Today News Five spoke to cyclist Shalini Zabaneh who told us that she should be competing in Costa Rica in March, but to do that she’ll need to have a cycling license. And she can only get that license from a cycling association with the backing of UCI. Currently, the only association with it is the Belize Cycling Association headed by Emil Moreno, which according to Minister of Sports Herman Longsworth, does not exist.