The American women’s cycling team Cynisca was punished by the sport’s governing body Monday for trying to enter an international race by deceiving organizers.
The International Cycling Union said in a news release that a team official told a mechanic “to wear a rider’s clothes and a face mask” and pretend to be feeling ill so the team could have the mandatory five racers sign an entry list at the start of the one-day Argenta Classic in Belgium last year.
The Cynisca team, staff and riders “were therefore all found to have participated in a fraud,” the UCI said in publishing the judgment of its disciplinary panel.
“Danny Van Haute was found to be the main perpetrator,” the UCI said, banning the veteran American official and 1984 Los Angeles Olympics cyclist from the sport through the end of 2025.
Mechanic Moira Barrett is banned through August.
Cynisca was fined an unspecified amount and suspended from the next international race it was due to enter, the ruling said.
The sanctions for Cynisca were announced one day after its rider Lauren Stephens won the one-day Clasica de Almeria in Spain.
A great day for USA 🇺🇸 women in pro cycling! Cynisca @LollyIsLauren wins @Clasica_Almeria. And congrats to fellow American @FaulknerKristen for an @OmloopHageland win! 🇺🇸 @usacycling #supportwomenscycling pic.twitter.com/cQf5OPyBL1
— Cynisca Cycling (@CyniscaC) February 25, 2024
The team based in Bloomington, Indiana, had only four healthy riders at the Belgian race in July 2023 but needed to comply with UCI rules by having five sign a document to try to start the race.
Four other riders who followed Van Haute’s instructions were reprimanded.
“Anna Hicks, Cara O’Neil, Katherine Sarkisov and Claire Windsor were found to have followed Danny Van Haute’s instructions and sanctioned with a reprimand under article 12.3.002 of the UCI Regulations,” the UCI said.
The team and staff can appeal against the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
