British cycling coach accuses UCI of threatening to fine children, takes governing body to European Commission for 'unfairly blocking' riders from cycle event

A British coach and event organiser is taking the UCI to the European Commission and has accused the sport's governing body of breaking antitrust law for 'unfairly blocking' cyclists, particularly children, from competing in rival bike trials events.

The situation surrounds trials — the discipline of mountain biking competition which tests bike handling by seeing participants ride an obstacle course, aiming to avoid putting a foot down.

UCI Trials World Youth Games (credit: Javier Martínez de la Puente/Zubiko Photography/SWPix.com)

The UCI has its own trials events, such as at the UCI Urban Cycling World Championships which were held in Abu Dhabi in December, but there are also rival competitions such as those of the BikeTrial International Union (BIU).

BikeTrial Federation UK website (credit: BikeTrial Federation UK)

MLex reports David Johnstone, a cycling coach, event organiser and founder of Bike Trial Federation UK has filed a complaint at the European Commission accusing the UCI of breaking antitrust law and unfairly blocking trials riders from competing in rival competitions not run by the UCI.

Filing the complaint with his son, Mr Johnstone has accused the UCI of threatening to fine riders, including children, if they participate in non-licensed events — the case relating to 'threats' received from the governing body in 2022 ahead of a non-UCI event.

UCI Trials World Youth Games (credit: Javier Martínez de la Puente/Zubiko Photography/SWPix.com)

"Bike trial is a sport ideally suited to kids. No child should be forced to choose between participating in the sport they love and their future in elite competition," Mr Johnstone suggests, the event organiser believing that recent EU court cases against the governing bodies of football and skating support his chances.

"UCI should end these unfair and unjustifiable restrictions which undermine its values of widening access to cycling and inclusion."

Mr Johnstone concluded that the approach had caused an "environment of fear and anxiety", something that is particularly concerning when the riders involved are children. He organises BikeTrial International Union (BIU) events and those of the UCI, the rules for each varying slightly.

The event organiser and coach reports that in 2022 the UCI sent letters, via national associations, warning cyclists, including riders as young as eight years old, against competing in non-UCI events, a warning that saw some pull out of BIU events weeks before the BIU European Championships took place in Germany

UCI Trials World Cup (credit: Javier Martínez de la Puente/Zubiko Photography/SWPix.com)

Mr Johnstone wants to see the ban removed but also highlighted an alternative possibility from another cycling discipline BMX, where UCI rules allow riders to compete in non-UCI events.

A UCI spokesperson told the legal website: "The UCI maintains that UCI Regulations concerning the authorisation of events benefit organisers and riders of all levels by guaranteeing standards for the organisation of events (e.g. technical, safety, anti-doping and other integrity-related rules) within an organised calendar in a transparent manner. The UCI is confident that the associated rules applicable to license-holders fully comply with competition law."