WHAT DOES UCI pay Mc quaid to DO ? Demean it's Integrity?

Blundering around without a clear idea of the damage done , appears to be the life style of the UCI Incompetent , described as the Incumbent President !

Grabbing headlines for ALL the wrong reasons , are the result of FAILURE TO PLAN ! Seems to be a case of falling out of bed in the morning , then asking himself , " How best to make myself and the Organisation i lead , look irrelevant and ridiculous !"

Along the way , the reputation of the employees of UCI has been detrimentally denigrated , to such an extent that people are wondering if there is any future for this Organisation .

Each of the Employees of the UCI at Aigle are paid a salary , some more than others , and are required to ensure that the Organisation  meets it's mission statement . Apart from Paid Employees , there are numerous " Outside Contractors " of various Services , that receive remuneration for " Services Provided "! Some of these " Contractors " have received recognition through Employees having " Family Connection ", OR , being of " High Repute "!

Any CEO is in a position to choose , those Organisations that they feel will do the " Best Job ", in many cases, that perception is not always clear to the lower levels of management . Being " Numero UNO " tends to sway the result in so many events .

As President of UCI . p. mc quaid , dictates what he wants done , doubtlessly the lower eschelons of the UCI perceive the " Good Sense " in responding promptly to that decision ? After all his pay grade is higher , so he effectively bears more responsibility ? Being the " Highest Paid Salaried Staff Member " , you would think that the President , would be the PERSON to SAFEGUARD the UCI Constitution ?

Apparently , there is some confusion at present , as to WHAT is in the UCI Constitution ? Since the Creation of the UCIIC in October 2012 , matters at the UCI Office in Aigle seem to be running amuck ? It would appear that rather than consensus in the management of the UCI , a dictatorship has emerged , as just about every decision of recent months have been announced by none other than mc quaid , as he seeks to create the impression that UCI could not function without his presence ? In fact , in the recent past , he has said " UCI will lose it's place at the Olympics , if he is not President "! This is petty blackmail even if true ?

Since 29th June , according to the UCI Constitutional requirements , the Nominations for the Presidential Election have been closed . Yet time and again the Media are reporting NEW Events surrounding the FALSE IMPRESSION that mc quaid is a LEGITIMATE Nomination . Whilst some would sympathise with mc quaid's desire to continue to enjoy the good life of the past 8 years , more employees than most people realise , would happily see him lose out on the 27th September , SHOULD HE FIND A WAY ONTO THAT BALLOT !

Constitutionally he stands disqualified :

WHAT is the UCI and WHO are its participants :

 UCI members are the national federations (art. 4)

This article excludes the UCI from any kind of relationship with affiliates and members of the national federation.
From this rule it is clear the reason why, in the UCI Statute, there are no rules that cite the single person (individual): simply because the UCI is composed by a single type of associated (Members), and precisely the only national federations.

On the contrary to the UCI, the national federations have two types of members: affiliates (clubs) and members (natural persons).
However, it is obvious that some references to natural persons are included in the UCI Statute: with reference to the composition and access procedures to the various organs and bodies established by the same UCI Statute.

On the contrary to the UCI, the national federations have two types of members: affiliates (clubs) and members (natural persons).
However, it is obvious that some references to natural persons are included in the UCI Statute: with reference to the composition and access procedures to the various organs and bodies established by the same UCI Statute.


UCI rule :   Nominations for UCI President must be submitted by the national federation of the applicant (Article                     51/1).
                  In order to be advanced in candidacy for the UCI presidency, a member of a national federation need                   to ask his national federation to nominate him, since he is not allowed to do it themselves.

Having been rejected by his HOME FEDERATION , the Irish Cycling Fed. in June , mc quaid sought by joining the Swiss Fed , one day earlier , to be nominated . Recently that sought out  Nomination was rescinded !

EACH person seeking Membership of a UCI registered Cycling Club , needs to abide by the Rules & regulations laid out by the Constitution :

  "  UCI Cycling Rules "

Part I – General organisation of cycling as a sport

Chapter I
Licence-Holders
1.1.001 The licence is an identity document confirming that its holder undertakes to respect the constitution and regulations and which authorise him to participate in cycling events.

1.1.002 No-one who does not hold the requisite licence may participate in a cycling event organised or supervised by the UCI, the UCI continental confederations, the UCI member federations or their affiliates.

1.1.004 Anyone requesting a licence thereby undertakes to respect the constitution and regulations of the UCI,…

1.1.009 A licence holder may hold the licence of only one national federation.

DID YOU NOTICE ....." ONLY ONE "?

Categories of licence holders
1.1.010 A licence shall be required for:… list the type of licenses ….
Should a licence holder carry out multiple roles within cycling, he must apply and be licensed for each of these roles.

Issuing procedure
1.1.001 The licence shall be issued by the federation of the country where, according to the legislation of that country, the applicant has his main residence at the time of application. He shall remain affiliated to that federation until the expiry of the licence, even if he changes country of residence.
1.1.012 National federations shall refuse to issue a licence in the event of an irregular application.

DID YOU NOTE :..."  main residence at the time of application "!

Returning to the UCI Statute, it says:

Art. 3  The UCI will carry out its activities in compliance with the principles of:
a) equality between all the members and all the athletes, licence-holders and officials, without racial, political, religious, or other discrimination;

Because of the quandary that mc quaid found himself , UCI sought outside " advice ",  from a WELL KNOWN LEGAL Entity : Baker McKenzie , who used M. Olivier Ducrey as their principle correspondent in this matter . On 19th August , BakerMcKenzie responded to the task given them by the UCI .

 However , had they been asked the PROPER QUESTION , What would their answer have been ? What should have been asked is  

  "  Does Pat McQuaid’s candidacy respect the rules of the UCI Constitution and Statute? "

What should also be asked of BakerMcKenzie :

  " Are you certain that the provided legal advice is confirming the rules that millions of license-holders of the national federations (therefore of the UCI) are required to abide? "

Equality, dictated by art. 3 of the UCI Statute, must be respected. Mr. Pat McQuaid should be prosecuted in order to the infringment of art. 1.1.009 (Regulation of Sport Cycling UCI) and consequently of the articles below too:

UCI Rules cycling regulations
1.1.004 Anyone requesting a licence thereby undertakes to respect the constitution and regulations of the UCI, the UCI continental confederations and the UCI member Federations, as well as to participate in cycling events in a sporting and fair manner. He shall undertake, in particular, to respect the obligations referred to in article 1.1.023.
As from the time of application for a licence and provided that the licence is issued, the applicant is
responsible for any breach of the regulations that he commits and is subject to the jurisdiction of the disciplinary bodies.

WHILST i am not entirely " Au Fait " with the totality of the " UCI Constitution " , i feel sure that the above items cover the " VALIDITY of a Nomination !

Since the above Rules have NOT BEEN MET , there is from my POV , no VALID NOMINATION of mc quaid for the Presidential  Election Ballot of 27th September 2013 !

LETTERS to HEADS of GOVERNMENTS

YOUR EXCELLENCIES , LADIES and GENTLEMEN .


Those of you that are unaware of the IOC and WADA , would be few ! Doubtless that your minions have kept you informed of the ongoing saga of USADA investigation into Lance Armstrong , the cyclist .

Can we the Public , ask that you take time to study the " overview " of this report , and take time to visit with your Nation's observer/s , at the recent WADA Conference in Stockholm . That Conference had a theme that related to " Doping's influence in the Community "! Sporting Fraud is a criminal offence in many Nations and in recent times " Doping in Sport " has been added to the National Statutes of Criminal Activity in many Countries ?

In recent days the Australian Sports Minister , Senator Lundy has advertised an interest in receiving citizens' reports on the " Doping Quandary "! The email address , telephone nos and street  address has been made widely available to allow unlimited access for information . Example mailto:Senator.Lundy@aph.gov.au

Could ALL World Governments follow this example ? Each of you i an sure are aware of the " Famous Olympic Doping Controversies " such as Ben Johnson and Marion Jones in the past ! There have been notable names in other sports also across the WHOLE Spectrum of Olympic Sport !

WADA can only play " Catchup " in it's efforts to control " Doping in Sport "! Fact is the Drug Companies produce their products ith the intention of benefiting " Mankind " BUT the Criminal Element then take some of these products and utilise them to their advantage . GREED is the motivating factor for the criminal conspiracies that turn Athletes into CHEATS and in many cases Criminals !

Even in " shamateur sport " there are those who seek " bragging rights " and thus resort to the use of any and all those products on the " WADA Prohibited List " , updated yearly , so that ALL Athletes know the products they SHOULD NOT INGEST ! WADA sets out to stem the tide and the weak minded then seeing the product listed , set out to discover how they can utilise it for their benefit .

So many PAST and Present Athletes have used Doping to enhance their achievements that it has reached the point that ALL Athletic/Sports achievements since 1990 are suspect . Olympic Games since 1936 have been overshadowed with Political and Doping Controversies due to the fact that it has a World Wide Audience that seeks entertainment . That the Olympic Games is in the most part no longer peopled by Amateur Athletes comes as no surprise to anyone nor that it has become a GIGANTIC MONEY SPINNER for those that Sponsor the event . Little wonder that the IOC Committee try to downplay the " Doping " aspect if we are kind to them OR conceal where they can the scale of those bent on seeking unwarranted GLORY !

My letter is from a 67yo cycle rider with an interest in seeking a clear future for those entering sport , being allowed to find Coaches , that have been shown to have a " Doping Free History " ! So many of those that are Coaching these days came through the ranks of the " DOPING INFESTED ERA " ! Many of the Future Coaches will have been tainted by the Current Era !

USADA has published the testimony of people caught up in the 1990s and early 2000s Cycling Industry but it is symptomatic of ALL SPORT ! Resources to combat " Doping " are limited since NO ONE wants to understand the scale of the problem .

As Heads of Government , you have a clear responsibility to your citizens to ACT ,  NOW !

SET up the means for Citizens to report the knowledge they have on those " DOPING " , even if those reported are from other Countries ! Combine with your Neighbouring Countries and Allies in DEMANDING that IOC and WADA inaugurate a panel to control an "AMNESTY for ALL SPORTS "!

Only Athletes , past and present , will be allowed to seek the Amnesty , since those who acted in Supply and Distribution of PEDs are Criminally liable .

During the AMNESTY Period set aside the National Laws on Doping , so that the Athletes , both past and present , will not suffer " Double Jeopardy " , this is why , so many are making their past transgressions known , when the Statute of Limitations period has passed !

Make the " AMNESTY for ALL SPORT " a one time ONLY Affair by introducing International Legislation that demands Worldwide Draconian Penalties for Athletes and their associates that do not step forward . It would be good to see that " Household arrest with ankle chips " introduced for those that decide to practice " Sporting Fraud " in the future !

Personally i believe that those that represent their Country in Sport should be judged by an Independent panel of WADA rather than their National Federations and they should be subject to FOUR year sanctions on the First Offence and LIFE TIME BANS for further transgressions ! All Athletes know they are responsible for what they ingest so excuses are not acceptable . Any Athletes at risk of Sanction should be dealt with in a Timely manner , not allowed the disgraceful " Contador treatment "!

Time to ACT is NOW ! The public want truth and justice , they need to believe that they are worthy of respect . With Austerity governing their lives they deserve to be able to believe in their Sporting Stars !


Those reading this blog letter , feel free to copy it to your Governments ! It is my version SO use it to create your OWN Letter !

Many of my readers will be aware that i supported Lance in the past ! Regrettably i chose to think that his team members doped and as he had to undergo daily testing it was not an option for him . Further  i suggested that Emma O'Reilly could not differentiate between equipment needed for his Cancer treatment and that others were using for Doping purposes !

Emma O'Reilly deserves an apology from me for doubting her Fortitude and veracity .

Frank Andreu is aware of my doubting his and Betty's word on Lance , certainly in 2011 , at the Tour de France Grand Depart in Britanny , i expressed a tainted point of view ! Frank  has been generous towards  me , over the years at many " Le Tour " and other events , that he chose to be friendly considering my behaviour towards him and his wife shows great generosity of character ! No doubt there will be those who will continue to treat him with less than the respect he is due .

I am still waiting to see what Cycling Australia will do about those Cycle Racers who worked with Festina and Saiz amongst many questionable associations . Not ALL that worked with these people will have been corrupted /tainted so there will have to be extensive enquiries to sort the material facts .

Riding with Moser

Apologies to all for the lack of posts in recent times . Fact is with the " Le Tour " , Olympics and now the WCF Masters , i have been far too busy to get all that has been happening onto the internet / paper .

Topping off lack of time , was the arrival yesterday of Francesco Moser demanding i get organised to ride  within minutes . Normally he turns up on Wednesdays in St Johann , but with his lifestyle and the demands for his presence at a variety of events he has to juggle all the commitments  coming his way . Vic Haines ( google ) , a British Cycling Legend was there also  , seems he will be adding to Francesco's network of Wine Distribution by releasing the Wines in the UK in the near future .

When riding with Moser , you can ride to his shoulder , but passing him , particularly on a hill will provoke a response . Had warned Vic of this , so the first climb was  tempo but as we were on the actual WCF racecourse we had a couple of racers pass us . This caused Francesco to pick up the pace and so we were tootling along leading out these Guys , paceline style . Several kilometres passed in this way with a variety of surges along the way through rolling hills and shaded forest areas . On the second climb Moser led the way but close to the top i had to ask him to cool it since Vic was off the back conserving energy for his Time Trial effort on the next day . Reluctantly we had to let the others go and drifted along for a while so as to allow Vic to come up at his own pace .

After passing over another bump on the course we stopped so that Moser's rear wheel could be topped up with air , since he had developed a slow puncture . As we headed through the back part of the course several race groups passed and it was up to me to sprint so that we could latch on for a few kilometres whilst Francesco had a chat with some of the Racers . Arriving in the finish area we played a little cat and mouse but Moser decided that a sprint wasn't on today .

After attending the refreshment tent we watched some of the racers finish their race . Spotted a couple of Aussies at the barriers so asked one of them if they knew of Moser and was met with a blank look . Took Francesco over to introduce them but all that was said " we saw him introduced earlier "! Francesco , according to Vic Haines arrives in a restaurant and ALL are on their feet applauding , and yet for aussie cycling fans it's a yawn , too hard to get the autograph ! Puts me in mind of the occasion i was going to introduce Charlie Gaul to a group of Aussie Journos , their reply was they only wanted to meet 5 time winners ! Wonder if they recall meeting Lance ?

At some point i will air more of my views on the " kangaroo Court " treatment of Lance . Suffice to say that in stepping back from looking after his legacy , the public have been showing their support by increasingly reaching into the back pocket to support LiveSTRONG ! Says it ALL , does it not ?

Tonight the Paralympics start in London , i won't be there , i spent 15 seasons riding , Advocating more support for these Amazing Athletes . Best place to see their efforts is on the TV , so many more Countries have finally woken up to how entertaining these people can be and are looking to increase their ratings by showing their efforts !

TO ALL THE PARALYMPIANS !

You are already WINNERS by being selected for your country ! BE THE BEST YOU CAN , any madals will be icing on the Cake but a few NEW WORLD RECORDS along the way will demonstrate your courage and alert the SPONSORS to new opportunities !

GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU !

Addition on Friday 14th Dec 2012 !

Congratulations to YORKSHIRE !

Today it was announced that Yorkshire had won their BID !

6th July 2014 , those that are in Leeds will be able to PARTICIPATE in the GRAND DEPART ! ENJOY !













Meanwhile , here in Snowy Austria , i am riding the Tacx wearing the Shirt seen above and the Bib Shorts you saw on Francesco in the photo above :

PARA ATHLETES

Towards the end of August the Paralympic Games of 2012 will start in London . Para Athletes from all parts of the world will be there celebrating their success at being nominated to participate for their country . For these people their success has come at a price . A price the " armchair critic " is neither aware of , nor doubtlessly would be prepared to pay !

 Aussie athletes at the 2012 Olympics have taken more than a fair share of " knocking " from these windbags , that doubtlessly never were any good when they played at being athletes . So many of the Aussie contingent would not be there , had they not raided their savings and begged and borrowed from family and friends . Can you imagine any reason , why , when they have put their life on hold for multiple years , for the honour of representing their country , that they would fail to deliver of their best ? Athletes go into competition knowing that they have to give of their best . Every person has good and bad days and so it is also with Sport .

Australia has fielded well prepared teams in the past and enjoyed great success . Other countries envying this success , have chosen to attract Aussie Coaching staff to work for their athletes . Team GB has dramatically improved in recent years in Swimming and Cycling . Part of the reason is that their coaching staff contains Australian Coaches who made certain their charges succeeded in competition . Currently the French are having a swipe at Team GB 's success and when things calm down they will seek out and employ some of the current Aussie coaches to help them as they prepare for Rio 2016 !

One Gold Medal was all that Australia had won for too long and then several more arrived on the same day but not from sports which Oz was previously dominant . Having met many of the Cyclists and Rowers and seen their training facilities i am confident that they gave of their best . Losing more coaches to other countries is almost inevitable unless the Oz Government decides to pay the market rate rather than relying on " Loyalty to Country "! Athletes after they finish competition generally will have piled up debts and will thus have to look hard at their options . So many of them will have a family to support and no doubt a mortgage to deal with so they will be forced to make the hard decisions needed to live at a reasonable level of comfort for themselves and their family .

Sunday will be the closing ceremonies and by then there will be a Gold Tally which will have fallen short of  the " Expectations "! Most People do not understand that the " Olympics " are about competing , the Athletes are there to compete , Medals are the " Icing on the Cake " ! Unfairly , we all , are nationalistic and want our countries to shine on the World Stage . Had Cathy Freeman not won Gold at Sydney 2000 Olympics for any of many reasons , the media would have hounded her , blaming her for failing them ! It could have been an " Off Day " or an injury , an American ran last night in a relay with a " Broken Leg ", but the media and " armchair critics " could care less . Had Usain Bolt broken down on the 200m and failed to win , the same would be said of him , no doubt .

Athletes aspire to be the " BEST THAT THEY CAN BE " but do not participate , ONLY if guaranteed a medal .

In a few days PARALYMPIAN ATHLETES will start arriving in London for the 2012 Para Games , i hope they enjoy the experience and continue to perform as they did in training in their home countries . I would hope that they do not suffer the same difficulties that some of the Olympians suffered . Simon Whitfield as an example , came to London knowing that he may not medal . For him carrying the Canadian Flag was the highlight of his Games , since he crashed badly at the start of the Cycling section of the Triathlon . Some other Athletes suffered injury also , Manteo Mitchell of the USA 400m relay team , felt his leg go as he ran his section of the heat but continued through the pain to complete and thus ensure the team went onto the finals !

Paralympians are not as " High Profile " as their counterparts but invest just as much , if not more , in their training . There is a difference though , since , rarely they have sponsors , to cover their expenses  , so it is their family and friends that have allowed them to represent their countries !

ARMCHAIR CRITICS , beware ,  these people come in the expectation of enjoying competition NOT TO WIN the medals ! Your " yardstick " is redundant !

Australia and GB have fought for many years to be the Top Nation on the medals chart . This time , forget it , the Athletes will be there for themselves and if Medals come , so be it !

TO ALL PARALYMPIANS ! Enjoy yourselves and bring pride to your country by being the " BEST OF SPORTS " , never mind the results !

SAVE HERNE HILL VELODROME

This important British Cycling Facility has been ignored for too long ! Will some of you out there make an effort to preserve your history ? Brad W. claims this as the starting point of his cycling career and yet i have no idea of whether he wishes to see it preserved. 2012 is just around the corner and yet it was unusable on a saturday in Sept.2010 when i was there. The meeting scheduled was cancelled because of overnight rain . 2010 and nothing is being done to encourage a new generation of Brits to compete against the Aussies, of course you are happy to win the odd cricket test, is that all that counts?




Southwark Council has decided to allocate £2m to projects related to the 2012 Olympics and to this end are using the services of Tony Doyle MBE a former World Track Champion as well as Tessa Jowell MP.

Over several years i have had occasion to visit Herne Hill Velodrome and see how run down it has become. 2012 is just around the corner and this important and historic facility is subject to inclement weather currently but can it be left like this when there is the likelhood that prior to the OLYMPIC & PARALYMPIC events Athletes from all over the world will need to train/warm up for their events. Do you imagine that they will be pleased to arrive and find it closed due to the track being wet from overnight rain ?







Currently there seems to be some problem about ownership or that is the reason i have heard for the lack of effort to put this Historic site back in order, i know of people like Wally Happy who run events there to try and raise monies and i am sure there are funds coming from other resources BUT uncertainty and indecision will not get the job done.







September time was the last occasion i was there and that days meeting was cancelled because of a wet track, Cyclocross continued throughout the day but can you imagine what would happen if World class/Olympic Athletes were relying on using the existing facilities.

Southwark Councils initiative is subject to "Final Approval" next year, "BOLLOCKS" !

GET ON WITH THE JOB NOW !!!

PS Suggested to Lance Armstrong (by tweet, a great mate of Tony Doyle) that he together with Nike, Radio Shack, Trek & Livestrong could get together the funds needed to renoate this Historic site.
Perhaps there may even be enough to allow cover so that the track is dry all year around ?

OLYMPIC SUMMARY

Bad news day, after several hours out on the bike in two sessions of several hours I find that some sponsorship is not going to happen for the 2010 Project. There are 380 profile visits on the Blog which is only part of the picture as once someone first visits they do not need to check the profile again particularly as they “Bookmark” the site. Sponsors do not look at this but the number of “friends” does get to figure in their equation. Started to pay more attention to “face book” as a source of contact and although I messaged over a hundred people this past week the link to the blog , last week only seven visited through face book . What I had hoped was that with the Paralympic Games due to start next week many more would have visited to checkout the link to the TV coverage amongst other matters.


No doubt people are busy but I can only draw a parallel to twitter where I put an item in “we follow” and got ten new followers immediately, all were from “spivs” looking to build their numbers as they offered to make me rich! Once I posted a comment on this aspect most disappeared within hours. Would like to think that those who “request friend” with me on Facebook are looking to help support “Disabled Sport” as that has been the mission the past twelve years and I am not looking for numbers but supporters who will commit some help to the primary purpose! This past week there has been visitors from 24 countries including Tanzania, India and Ukraine from Google as a link. Amazes me how small the world can become.



New candidate for the “PYGMY Team” found today as I rode up the Gerlos Pass this morning , hit this Link for "Item 2"if you want the Whole story. Photo represents the vehicle colours not the vehicle. Overcast day started with spring like weather so I was out on the bike after 9am enjoying a respite from the winter chill suffered in previous days. After the climb towards Gerlos I went to Mayrhofen and then onto the climb to Finkenberg that I did a little slower yesterday. Climbing at the moment requires a higher cadence to get the same time results that I had last year, no doubt as my strength and confidence returns I will ride in 5th instead of 7th cassette gear when making these climbs. After lunch I was out in sunshine to the north of the valley and going north was wind in the face and the return was easier in the sun albeit with a steady incline.

The Olympics are over and so the “Witch Hunt” starts , local papers are full of the letdown that is being expressed due to the results which is as a result of a lack of Men’s Alpine Ski Medals , a situation that has not occurred since the start of the Winter Olympics Events. Torino 2006 produced 14 medals out of the 30 available! Was that result enough at the time, can’t recall too much in the media about that subject! What is apparent is that the Ladies brought home a Gold and some Silver and Bronze Medals which had it been Australia would have meant there being a ticker tape parade. I did note the disappointment on an Austrian face shown on Eurosport when he realised that he had missed the Bronze. At Torino he had taken home a Gold amongst the collection. Benny has taken responsibility for his results unlike some who are trying to blame the support staff.

Russia has also started a “witch hunt” as they also suffered a drop in prestige in the medal count and they are the next hosts. All I can offer is that as they refocus they will be assured a better result next time as they will have “Home Town Advantage” even if they do not produce some new talent in the intervening years. As I listened to a report about the Russian President’s remarks I had visions of Putin leading the team from the front by participating in the Karate Events. Canada is also in this boat as whilst every other sport enjoyed success the Alpine Team as a whole misfired and not a medal fell into their hands despite their best efforts. The “Canadian Cowboys” were no match for the “Crazy Canucks” of yesteryear.

In an earlier posting I quoted “It’s not whether you win or lose but HOW you play the Game”, well the Athletes entertained us as they excelled and I did not see any bad sportsmanship although I am sure the TV channels were on the lookout for examples!

THANKYOU TO ALL THE ATHLETES FOR YOUR GREAT EFFORTS AND I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR FURTHER SUCCESSES AT OTHER VENUES !!

OLYMPIC CHALLENGE

SHOWING PARALYMPIANS THAT WE CARE

This is an Open letter to all Olympians but particularly those currently competing at Vancouver Winter Games.

On March 12 the Paralympic Games open in Vancouver and like with you the hopes of their countries rest on their shoulders! During the past week I have seen some spectacular performances by the participants and followed most events by way of Eurosport and CNN on the TV and a variety of sites on the Internet. There is a lack of comment about the Paralympics everywhere, why this should be continues to amaze me!

Each of you compete in difficult and sometimes dangerous sports and at the back of your mind there is an awareness of the possibility of accident resulting in injury or even the end of your sport career. We all think “there but for the Grace of God” in many aspects of our life. Human nature is such that we dwell on the positives in life and overlook the negatives.

My challenge to you all is to Help raise the Profile of Paralympic Sport. Each day you talk to the Media, some of you Twitter and Blog and use other means to stay in contact with your fans. By going to the website for your National Paralympic Team you will be able to tell people about your Nationals who will be representing YOU at the Paralympic Games in March. There are some of you already working with “Disabled Athletes” at some level , you may be already giving equipment and support of some sort.

Now is the time whilst the Public is focused on the Olympic Games to remind them, your public of what is about to take place and how important to you their support of Your Countries Paralympic Athletes is to you. At Athens2004 and Torino 2006 I spoke with many Athletes from all over the world and asked them to select a Paralympic Athlete and talk to the Media about them thus giving them recognition and support. At the time all I spoke to agreed with the idea and told me they would follow the idea and encourage their colleagues to join in this project which I titled “Parrabuddy”.

HERE IS THE CHALLENGE, in the comments box enter your name , country , sport then ADD the name of a Country Paralympian and any details you care to mention about them or your connection. As before I would ask that you also talk to your fellow athletes and ask them also to add their comments, this only takes a short time but it will become visible to the public even if only through the Google Search Pages! If you look up “Parrabuddy” or “Skippydetour” you will see pages of references so I feel sure that any comment you make will find it’s way through the internet to your Public and others!

For me the most Emotive moment of the Opening Ceremony was Rick Hansen rolling in with the “Olympic Torch”, you will have treasured moments that you may care to share.

TO ALL ATHLETES , THANKYOU FOR YOUR PERFORMANCES AT VANCOUVER AND SAFE JOURNEY HOME WHERE I HOPE YOU RECEIVE A HEROES WELCOME !!

FEAST OR FAMINE

Today I waited in for the Larry King Live show as this week has been exceptionally informative in so many ways ! Tuesday was Michelle Obama and the Obesity issue which I have remarked on in the recent past. Wednesday we had Joe Biden together with John and Teresa Kerry on the show . I had the pleasure of meeting John Kerry at the Tour de France Time Trial in St Ettienne when he was on the way to join up with Eddie Merckx at the “Discovery Team Training Area.. The previous year in that area I was introduced by Lance to Robin Williams who invited me to San Diego to work with his foundation, sadly no sponsor came forward to cover the expenses.



Larry King was the victim of a heart attack 23 years ago and during his program it came out that Teresa is currently fighting Cancer, also mentioned was John’s fight with Prostate Cancer at the start of his bid to be President in competition with Bush’s reelection. Both at that time were in contact with Lance and wearing the “Livestrong Wristband”, and much was made of George Bush using the mountain bike . Kerry appeared on TV to be an easy going type and this was how he was whilst I introduced him to several people. I did try to get Chris Horner who was in the compound at the time to walk across but as he was preparing for his ride this did not work. Funnily enough John Kerry was talking to Andy Rhys who is now the BMC boss but at that time owner of the Phonak Team. I won’t repeat the story of the Euskatel and Kerry meeting here but it was quite entertaining.

Bill Clinton was the subject of today’s “LKL” due to his overnight operation and during the commercial break I turned to German Eurosport where they were attempting to show the third effort to run the “America’s Cup”. When living in Perth, W.A. in the early 70’s I was into sailing as a past time as members of the “team” that hung out at “Gobbles” night club owned by John Golding were into sailing in a big way. Several of these rogues used to slip the leash of a Friday night and then on Saturday I would get to crew on some amazing yachts, I was never good enough for the first crew who were Profis but there was occasionally a place to make up the numbers in some of the competition craft.



Alan Bond would occasionally make an appearance on board and like the owners of this year’s competitors would take the helm, so it was not surprising when watching the TV to see him on board as “Australia” crossed the finish line to win the “America’s Cup”. since then I have sen reports of get togethers with Alan flying in from England. No doubt he is in Spain at this time renewing acquaintances with some of the “players” from that historic event. I had the chance to meet John Bertrand and some of the Australia crew many times in the Yanchep Sun City area over the years but only met Dennis Connors on the occasion of the Cup being passed over in Perth to be taken back to the USA. I had arrived in Perth by chance with a friend and whilst she was elsewhere I went with George Pascott to the Lunch time ceremony where I remarked to Dennis that the “Old Mug” was “only on loan as it would be returning Down Under at the next contest” ,it did but went to the New Zealand Syndicate.



The fascinating racing today on Eurosport TV seems like a walk over for Oracle’s design but I think I prefer the older style yachts without all the “legal shenanigans”. Cannot imagine having to crawl from one section of the Yacht to another because of the angles that these yachts use when flying. Hate to think what will happen when a section of these huge craft suffers a defect and I am very curious about the Oracle helmsman’s backpack, doesn’t look like a harness support point and certainly not his lunch pack with water sack. Oracle has won today’s event but not being German literate have missed the finer points of the commentary. Congratulations are due to the Americans with their 8 1/2m win, tactics and winds will affect the future races but I hope that we see closer results as these races will compete with the Olympics for attention in the next weeks.

The alarm is set for 2am gmt to enjoy the “opening ceremony” of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and when I return from ski touring tomorrow I hope to see the “Downhill race with an Aussie doing well. Looking at the team list has shown that Dale and Torah are in play for medals once more, there are other possibilities there also. I was at the “Celebration party” in Samsung house at “Torino” for Alisa Camplin and it was a pleasure to see that she was just as happy with the bronze as she had been with the prior Gold Medal from Salt Lake.


On one occasion I was in Deutscher House at Athens 2004 watching the swimming presentation ceremony on TV. Sitting having a smorgasbord lunch at the same table were the parents of the Bronze medal winner. They were delighted that I was Australian and shared a few memories of their daughters exploits leading up to the Olympics. They had not expected their daughter to win a podium place and so had not gone to the pool, there was more I am sure as even being in the final would have had most parents poolside. The Bronze medalist Anne Poleska stood up on the podium with some enthusiasm and general crowd approval, then the Silver Medalist arrived on the podium with a scowl on her face, I am sure that there was huge disappointment for that young lady in not winning but that was not the place to show bad feeling . I was quite surprised by this exhibition and apologised to the Poleskas who also had expected that the gold would go to Australia .Apologies for the lack of Anne's photo given to me that day by her parents

IT IS NOT WHETHER YOU WIN OR LOSE, IT IS HOW YOU PLAY THE GAME !!

Go AUSSIES grab the medals but continue to make us humble folk Proud!!

Before closing I would like to remind all that I have been fortunate with my sports activities , never a winner but enjoying socialising with some of the notables in every sport I have practised.

Blogging is new for me AND I would like you all to ask others to visit this site because there are others out there who like me would like to help “Disabled/Physically Challenged/Paralympic Athletes” enjoy some of the events we take for granted.



Today I was reading www.fatcyclist.com and of course added a few links to the comments section because he had a “motorised wheelchair/scooter” looking for a new home. In weeks past I have mentioned www.physiciansforpeace.org who are in need of all the “prosthetics and other items used by “Disabled/limbless People” that they can find. Any gathering of people that raises funds for Cancer should consider helping by having a facility to pass on “Donations”. What use are Crutches, walking sticks etc in your cupboard when gathered they can be passed to people in urgent need.

Skippy’s fan club at www.fatcyclist.com are not impressed with my suggestions but I will continue to find ways to help others. “Fatty’s following provided a sum in excess of $136k in december to Livestrong and in January Lance forwarded $250k to the Haitian Appeal. Had I the resources Lance has I am sure there would be more that I could do other than remind people of opportunities to help.



As I grew up I read newspapers with “Charles Atlas” ads , you know the “Glamorous, Handsome Hulk kicking sand in the face of the scrawny weakling, I sometimes feel that my efforts are worthless but I will keep putting the shoulder to the cart and inch it forward little by little.

TELEMARKING

Winter of 1995/96 I spent on the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier alpine skiing most days on their Golden Season Ski Pass which covered a variety of Ski Areas including the Dolomites in Italy. I had been travelling and visiting acquaintances in Czech Republic who had mentioned this area and so on the way back to France in October 95 decided on a side excursion since there was little snow in France at that time. The glacier was at that time served by a tunnel train which I caught daily . I was always on the top step on the first available departure each day and on the last possible descent in the evening.

Skiing each day from morning to night I met a smorgasbord of personalities ranging from beginners to professional racers coming from Europe and other continents. Riding the chairlifts and T bars conversation would lead to meeting and skiing with all nationalities. Skiing is perhaps one of the easiest sports in which to make new friends and acquaintances, perhaps easier than cycling.

Along the way I got to trying out Snowboarding and then Telemark Skiing , at that time I was using a pair of cheap skis with langlauf 3 point bindings and softer shoes used for Langlaufing. At around 3000m the ankles would get quite chilly and working the Telemark turns was a lot harder than with the proper equipment so I did not get off the piste into the powder as my Norwegian friend was doing.
Thomas was younger than I and had grown up on Telemarks so was competing in events in that discipline . Using my alpine skis I was able to go off-piste with the better skiers but the Telemark shoes would fill with powder and the socks would get quite wet very quickly even when the socks were wrapped in plastic bags .


These days I have the correct Telemark Skis and Boots and the older style Telemark Bindings that serve the purpose the only difference is that 15 years later old age is making getting deep knee bends just that little harder to achieve particularly on the steeper slopes as I quickly run out of time whilst dropping into the correct position after a turn. On the blue runs I see the occasional Telemarker elegantly skiing with ease and with graceful turns negotiating the piste with a nonchalance I would wish to emulate.


Daily I am strapping on my “Touring Ski Skins” to plod up the piste at Kaltenbach and Spieljoch as the exercise is great for the “Cycling muscles”. As I plod up the piste I am entertained as I watch people standing on Skis coming down in a variety of styles , certainly some try to emulate the style that they were taught in “Ski School”, others swinging their body in a style that reminds you of a rookie boxer in the boxing ring and still more doing things that cause them to do a “face plant“. Do you know of any sport where falling on your face and risking injury in an area “beyond your competence” is encouraged? So many people when they see the Piste signs designating the run as “Black” will tell you that they did not see them or that “they thought they were the trail no”! Most of these scenes play out before lunch so that alcohol can be ruled out as responsible for these falls.

People take up skiing as a healthy outdoor activity that they can do with their friends but my thought is that there are too many people who lacking good judgement persuade/bully their friends/wives/companions into risking injury in an attempt to handle a situation beyond their current standard. Too many think you learn by your mistakes but seeing people struggling to stay upright sliding, skidding and falling down a steep pitch does nothing for confidence and surely is no fun even to the “smart arse” who leads the way. Setbacks are not easily overcome and techniques taught correctly in ski school are rarely applied in a panic situation. One thing is certain and that is this behaviour will continue and keep filling the Doctors surgeries if not the Hospital Wards.

The advent of Helmets does not mitigate the risk of serious injury as I remember years ago seeing a woman over balance, standing still on skis one moment then falling side ways against a friend resulting in both of them breaking legs . Extremely bad luck for both families concerned as the holiday was spoiled for all, rarely do you hear of a family holiday being the better from an accident which in many cases is the result of lack of expertise or caution.


Skiing as is Cycling are Sports which demand a level of fitness for the participants to get some benefit and enjoyment. Rarely do you find a worker let loose on the job without appropriate training so why is it that people jump on their bike to ride centuries or strap on their skis to execute red or black runs with the competence needed for a blue run. All sports require fitness but too many spend large amounts of money and travel to a resort and only then consider that training should have taken place over a period of time leading up to the holiday.


Yesterday I arrived at the top station of the “cabin cable lift” to find a group comprising “Paralympian” and able bodied skiers . The Paralympian was Alex Wexelberger who raced for the Austrian Paraski Team until “2006 Torino Paralympic Games” who was teaching a “newbie from Holland”. With the guys were some able bodied skiers who were handling the logistics of the lesson in that they were carting the wheelchairs , Chariots( carbon seats attached to the skis) and skis. Everybody involved was having a great time and Alex was able to demonstrate his expertise to an enthusiastic pupil. There are many who participate in skiing in this way, yesterday I learned the name of an American Organisation known as “Stride” who work with “Would beParalympians in a number of Para Sports. Many Disabled Skiers will attend the “2010 Vancouver Paralympic Games” in march at Whistler.


“Stride” came to my attention as I have been watching events around the “Wounded Warriors Project” who are currently in Vermont for ski events. “WWP” have the “Soldiers Ride Events” taking place year round and one of the latest was taking place recently in Florida. One of Lance Armstrong’s “Discovery Team bikes” was purchased by a veteran and given to “WWP” for the use on “Soldiers Rides Events”.
The full story can be found on the website but will add the link at a later date but suffice to say the recipient was “blown away” by this thoughtful gesture. On the website you will find photos of these “Soldiers Ride participants interacting with Astana Racers at the arrival one day of the Tour of California, Chris Horner was one racer in the photos

At this time I am still hopeful that people will consider joining me on the “2010 Project” of the Tour de France! There is still time for people to get fit and there are still opportunities for people to join us for limited periods rather than the full period of the race. Many people choose to rent a vehicle and drive from location to location parking on the side of the road to watch the spectacle pass and on occasions their day will be filled with new experiences but the more you see of this the more it becomes “same old, same old” with the occasional friendship acquired if you meet and talk to other bystanders. What would be more enjoyable , riding the route or parts of the daily route helping others or snoozing in the sun filling in the time from arrival at your chosen parking spot until the traffic is allowed to move once more, that is if there is not a traffic jam to contend with before you can enjoy the open road once again?

When the race is all over and you get going again you will have a handful of gadgets, soap packs, peanuts , balloons, pens , shirts and capswater , pamphlets and coffee sacs. Still got some of these trinkets and gadgets in the odd drawer or cupboard gathering dust? Well consider helping others with me as an alternative! Regardless of the result if I am fit I will be riding with or without company but would prefer to be helping others to get a little of the enjoyment that I have experienced these past 12 years.

For those of you with an interest in telemark ski, a few pointersThings You'll Need:
Ski Clothing
Telemark Ski Equipment

Step 1
Start sliding down a gentle slope in a balanced stance with feet shoulder- width apart.
Step 2
Flex the ankles, knees and waist slightly toward the ground.
Step 3
Initiate a turn by bending one knee close to the ground and sliding the same foot back. Bending the left knee will result in a left turn, for example.
Step 4
Slide the other foot forward.

Step 5
Reach and plant the left ski pole downhill and to the left of your body when turning left. Plant the right pole when turning right.
Step 6
Steer both feet by rotating your hips, ankles and knees in the direction you want to go. Use your planted pole as a marker by which to turn around.
Step 7
Maintain equal weight on the uphill edges of both skis.
Step 8
Extend your ankles, knees and waist upward at the end of the turn.
Step 9
Switch feet, plant the opposite pole and initiate a turn in the other direction.



Tips & Warnings
It is a good idea to start on gentle terrain and be able to perform a wedge stop.
For more control and better balance, slide the front foot out no more than 18 inches from the back foot.
Practice turning one way, stopping, and turning the same direction several times to get a feel for it - then practice in the other direction.
Once you get the hang of the telemark turn, it should look and feel smooth.

Enjoy your skiing but think SAFETY at ALL TIMES!!