UCI does not plan to appeal Armstrong's lifetime ban

This is a non-story really, isn't it?

"unless the USADA's decision and case file give serious reasons to do otherwise, the UCI has no intention to appeal to CAS"

So, McQuaid is not definitely ruling out an appeal to CAS, as the headline suggests. He's still waiting to see the USADA's evidence and will THEN make his (the UCI's) decision. I'm assuming the USADA's evidence will leave him little or no wiggle room, but we'll have to wait and see.

""There is nothing new. There was no cover up in 2001 and we see no evidence to support such allegation," [Pat McQuaid] said." - you say you didn't see any evidence Pat, but did you look for any?

UCI = Equally Guilty

UCI = Dopers Stooges

UCI = FINISHED

Big surprise, Pat and Hein prepared Larry under the bus to save their own skins.....the Dons of the UCI can't sustain the Omerta anymore and deserve everything that's heading their way.
In the late 90s/early00s their sole focus way on screwing the global media-rights to major races away from the event organisers and Larry was their golden-ticket for success after the Festina scandal. With the prospects of millions of gullible people believing in the Miracle of Lance, plus big corporate sponsorship - all they needed to do was make sure nobody tested positive...

There rotten because there's no transparency and accountability other than to themselves - they're self selecting, self governing, swiss registered. The same reasons that saw UK MP's rip off the electors via the expenses system, Banks rob us blind, Company boards awarding themselves piss taking salary and bonus hikes whilst "reducing overheads" . The UCI needs to understand that without the discipline of a wider constituency to which it's directly accountable it must be a paragon of transparency and openness. No wonder its inept - try finding the UCI income & expenditure accounts on its website . . . .

Agree with comments above. Given USADA's forthcoming report and Tyler Hamilton's book, they didn't really have much choice - side with Lance and in many peoples minds you are pro doping.

The bigger question for me about the UCI is why are these sports governing bodies so universally bad, inept, incompetent, corrupt etc.? FIFA, UEFA, IOC - all dreadful. UCI is in good company.

It's a little rich of Pat to suggest Hamilton's motives are money lead. I would imagine much of the UCI's sloth over the last decade has been motivated by a desire to protect revenue and hope the storm blows over. The UCI needs a good sweeping out. .I hope they get it.

Looks like Pat Mc Quaid is abandoning Lance Armstrong in the hope that the UCI's good name (sic) remains unsullied. Careful Pat, Lance's reputation for vindictiveness is not entirely undeserved, and it would be the supreme irony if it were him that brought the whole house of cards crashing down.

Methinks Pat McQuaid protesteth too much.