• Cycling

Brailsford wants tougher UCI stance on doping

ESPN staff
January 12, 2015
Sir Dave Brailsford says Team Sky will "do their bit" © Getty Images
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Team Sky principal Sir Dave Brailsford has hit out at cycling's governing body for their inaction over Astana's recent doping scandal.

Tour de France champion Vincenzo Nibali's Astana team were granted a 2015 World Tour licence by the International Cycling Union (UCI) despite producing five positive tests.

"The UCI governs this sport, so they need to deliver," said Brailsford.

"Great leaders don't find excuses why they can't do something. Sometimes you've got to get over obstacles and find ways of doing things to get to a new place.

"If you're in charge, you have to have rules and the leadership skills to deliver a credible sport."

New UCI president Brian Cookson said he would come down hard on serial offenders after ousting Pat McQuaid from the role in September 2013.

However, Team Sky's Chris Froome has called on the UCI to take a tougher line.

"This sport has a lot of headway still to make, and the UCI are the ones to guide that," said the 2013 Tour de France winner.

The UCI have amended their rules so that teams can be suspended for between 15 and 45 days if two riders fail tests within 12 months.

That ban could extend to a year if a third rider is caught.

"If we want to be the best team in a certain sport, you need that sport to be credible," added Brailsford.

"We'll do our bit but we want everybody else to do their bit, particularly those who govern the sport. I don't think you can go at a lazy pace with these things. You've got to for it."

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