The International Cycling Union

The UCI International Cycling Union

The International Cycling Union (ICU) is the Association of national cycling federations, which was created in 1900 on April 14. It is currently headquartered in Switzerland. The ICU is dedicated to regulating standards in competitive cycling events around the world, as well as regularly holding competitions and events.

In the year 1965, the International Olympic Committee pressured the UCI to be divided into three, the International Federation of Amateur Cycling (FIAC), the International Federation of Professional Cycling (FICP) and the International Cycling Union. In the year 1992 and became the FIAC and the FICP in a way that is merged within the UCI.

Organization

The ICU consists of the president, currently the French David Lappartient, in office, the Secretary-General, Vice-President, the Congress (which is held each year), the executive body, the technical committees, and the Audit Committee.

The UCI has an affiliation of 167 National Federations distributed in 5 Continental Federations; these five are the African Cycling Confederation (CAC), located in Egypt to which it is joining 36 national federations. The Pan American Cycling Confederation (COPACI), located in Havana, Cuba, to which 40 national federations are affiliated. The Asian Cycling Confederation (ACYC), located in Seoul, South Korea, to which 39 national federations are affiliated. The European Cycling Union (UEC), located in Switzerland, to which 48 national federations are affiliated. The cyclist Federation of Oceania, to which four national federations are affiliated.

As the UCI has been progressing and evolving in time has changed its functions in the field of cycling since that is the highest level of the sport.

The main objective has always been to promote and encourage cycling as a sport and the group of cyclists who practice this sport.

Function

Its main functions are:

  • Review and improve, if necessary, the current regulation on International Cycling.
  • Review the international calendar cycling to carry out the proper functioning and the feasibility of the tests in the function of the requirements that are presented throughout the cycling season.
  • Promote and promote the fight against doping in cycling.
  • Maintain relations with the International Olympic Committee for the collaboration in the organization of everything related to the future events relating to cycling in each of the editions of the Olympic Games.
  • Organize cycling events and championships to strengthen cycling and competition.
  • Carry out a plan for the cycling training program.

Competition

Under the supervision of the Union of international cyclists we find a series of specialties:

  • Cycling en route
  • Mountain bike
  • BMX
  • Trial
  • Artistic Cycling
  • Paraciclismo
  • Ciclocrรณs
  • Cycling on track

The UCI and the Doping

As expected, the Union of international cyclists also takes part in the topic of doping in the world of cycling, although it was not until 1998, with the Festina case, that it turned to the topic.

In addition to these functions, the ICU carries out strict control over bicycles; with this, we refer to precise control over the materials used by equipment for correct compliance with the regulations. Several verifications must, therefore, be carried out about ICU technical regulation, counter-clock control of bicycles and accessories.