The UCI adopts a
series of measures to confront the effects of the coronavirus on cycling
and the Federation
In the current context of the coronavirus pandemic, the President of the
Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) David Lappartient called an extraordinary
meeting of the UCI Management Committee on 2 April. A series of economic
measures were adopted at the meeting to confront the sporting and
financial consequences of the world health crisis for the International
Federation, in a situation marked by the postponement – or even
cancellation – of all upcoming cycling competitions.
Cycling
at a halt
The serious
situation of international cycling, forced to a halt
several weeks ago until at least 1st June 2020, has been
studied in depth. The impact of the world health crisis on the UCI
International Calendar is considerable: as of this date, the UCI has
received more than 650 requests from organisers for the postponement or
cancellation of events over a period that currently extends until the
month of August. This figure represents 30% of the year’s UCI
International Calendar. Road and mountain bike are the most affected
disciplines. For example, the Giro d’Italia, the Tour des Flandres and
Paris-Roubaix, three prestigious UCI WorldTour events, have been
affected. Likewise, the UCI Mountain Bike Cross-country World
Championships presented by Mercedes-Benz in Albstadt (Germany) have been
postponed. In addition, several rounds of the Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain
Bike World Cup must be rescheduled, while others have had to be cancelled
at the request of their organisers. The UCI World Championships for BMX
Racing have also been pushed back, and those for para-cycling road risk
cancellation.
On top of this difficult situation comes the postponement of the
Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, finally pushed
back one year by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) – they will
take place from 23 July to 8 August 2021 and from 24 August to 5
September 2021 respectively –, after a period during which there had
still been a possibility of maintaining the initial dates. Wishing to
guarantee the security of athletes and sporting equity between nations for
cycling events whose qualification procedures were still ongoing
(mountain bike, BMX Racing, BMX Freestyle and road para-cycling), our
Federation had made a proposition to the IOC and the International
Paralympic Committee (IPC) to stop the procedure as of 3 March, taking
into account that until that date no nation had been prevented from
travelling to events. Our Federation continues its discussions with the
IOC and the IPC given the postponement of the next Olympic and Paralympic
Games to 2021.
It is clear that the aforementioned postponements and cancellations will
unfortunately lead to a significant reduction of revenues for the UCI.
Inactivity
that weighs heavily on UCI finances
The current pandemic is hitting organisers of cycling events hard. A
considerable number of races have been cancelled, and our Federation has
recommended all organisers of competitions in zones at risk to cancel
their events. In solidarity and as part of the support measures put in
place since the beginning of the crisis, the UCI will reimburse all
calendar registration fees to organisers of cancelled events due to take
place in the period during which the holding of events is fully
restricted. The calendar fees represent a significant part of the UCI’s
revenue. This initiative will have consequences on the UCI’s financial
results.
Conscious of the impact
of the current crisis on the professional peloton, the
UCI created a working group, composed of representatives of riders (CPA),
teams (AIGCP) and our Federation. The UCI and its partners have agreed on
the framework that will enable teams facing serious financial
difficulties to be able to take necessary measures so they can continue
in the context of the pandemic. With this temporary flexibility approved
by the players of professional road cycling, our Federation wishes to
support teams whose activities have been touched by the Covid-19, while
maintaining the respect of the riders’ rights and in accordance with the
UCI Regulation. Further measures of support could be taken during the
UCI’s regular discussions with its partners, depending on the evolution
of the situation.
Particular consideration is being given to the UCI World
Championships and UCI World Cups. The rounds of the
Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain Bike World Cup are notably important in terms
of revenue for our organisation. The postponement or cancellation of
numerous UCI events as well as the general economic situation have of
course also had an impact on the overall marketing activities of our
Federation.
Concerning UCI World Championships, the effects of the Covid-19 have
already been felt with the postponements of the UCI BMX World
Championships in Houston (United States) and the UCI Mountain Bike
Cross-country World Championships presented by Mercedes-Benz in Albstadt.
The situation of the 2020
UCI Road World Championships in Aigle-Martigny (Switzerland)
is of course being closely followed, even though these Championships
would appear to be safe from the consequences of Covid-19 given their
date (20-27 September).
Moreover, the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games
will lead to a considerable loss of earnings for our Federation. We need
to anticipate both a possible postponement – to 2021 – of the payment of Olympic revenues
initially expected in the second semester of 2020, and a probable
reduction of the sum paid to the International Federations (IFs).
This amount enables the UCI to fulfil its development mission vis-à-vis
its 196 National Federations throughout the Olympic cycle, via the UCI
World Cycling Centre (WCC) and its Satellite Centres around the world.
The UCI is one of the few IFs with this type of Centre and has trained
some 120 athletes each year since 2002. We are following this question
very closely and are in constant contact with the IOC as it currently
examines the extra costs resulting from the postponement.
At the same time, our Federation is facing an interruption of its commercial
activities after the closure, on 16 March, of its
headquarters in Aigle (Switzerland) to the public. Likewise, the UCI WCC
has put a temporary halt to its training
activities after deciding its trainee athletes should
return to their countries. Our high-level athletes continue to be
coached, at a distance, as part of their training programme and to
maintain their sporting level.
Finally, it should be noted that our Federation’s asset portfolio
has suffered from the effects of the pandemic on the financial markets,
combined with the collapse of oil prices.
The good management of our activities over the years and our strategy of
selling our UCI World Championships well in advance will enable us to
honour our commitment vis-à-vis the cycling family and get through this
crisis with limited damage, as long as the situation does not last longer
than current predictions.
A
necessary cost-saving plan
In a health and economic context where there is no clear view of when the
crisis will end, the UCI has established several scenarios of the impact
of current events on its results. Conscious that the situation is
worrying and that the savings made until now have been marginal (costs
linked notably to the interruption of travel of UCI International
Commissaires) the UCI Management Committee approved an unprecedented
cost-saving plan with the following principal points:
- The UCI’s leaders
(elected and Senior Management) have decided to reduce their
salaries or allowances.
- Full or partial furlough
– at different percentages – for all 130 employees of the UCI and
UCI WCC.
- Freezing of recruitment
for an undefined period.
- Total revision of
projects and objectives that had been fixed for 2020 and following
years, and those in progress.
- Resizing of solidarity
projects for National Federations.
- Generalisation of virtual
meetings for the Management Committee, UCI Commissions and seminars.
- Examination (in progress)
of contracts of service providers at events, consultants and general
providers.
« Our International Federation is
going through a crisis that we haven’t experienced since the Second World
War,” declared the UCI
President David Lappartient. “Inactivity is hitting
athletes, teams, organisers, partners and the large majority of people
and organisations that contribute to the vitality of our sport, across
all its disciplines. The UCI, cycling’s governing body, has not been
spared, far from it. The postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and
Paralympic Games, the multiplication of postponements and cancellations
of events on the UCI International Calendar, and the uncertainty that
weighs on the second part of the season are having a large impact on our
sport in general and our Federation in particular. It is time for the
cycling family to rally and, as one, prepare our sport to recover from
this health and economic crisis that it has been hit by. Each of us is
called on to be united, responsible and strong. That is why the UCI has
taken some drastic action that should enable it to weather the storm.
These choices are difficult but necessary if we wish to rebuild cycling
post-Covid-19.”
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