The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
By Robert Andaya
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino was formally recognized by the International Cycling Union (UCI) during its 192nd Congress in Glasgow, Scotland on Thursday.
“It’s a rare and historic event and opportunity,” said Tolentino during the event in Glasgow attended by 203 member countries of the international federation.
The UCI was founded 123 years ago on April 14, 1900.
“This won’t be happening again soon,” said Tolentino, adding that the UCI World Championships where the sports’ governing body packed the world championships in 13 cycling disciplines in 11 days in Scotland.
Three other national Olympic committee (NOC) presidents who are also heads of their cycling federations were recognized by the UCI.
The most prominent among the cycling and NOC heads was UCI president David Lappartient, who now leads France’s Olympic committee—a position the world sporting community believes is a prelude to the Frenchman succeeding Thomas Bach as International Olympic Committee (IOC) president.
Aside from Tolentino and Lappartient, also recognized were NOC and cycling head of Indonesia, Raja Sapta Oktohari, and Mauritania’s Abderrahmane Ethmane.
Tolentino also had the opportunity to get as close and personal with Lappartient and former UCI president Pat McQuaid.
Lappartient was one of the commissaires in the Asian road and track cycling championships the country hosted at the Amoranto Velodrome and Subic in 1995.
McQuaid, on the other hand, called the Philippines his second home in the mid and late 1990s when as UCI’s road commission head – he worked on transforming the Marlboro Tour into a major international
race in Southeast Asia.