Amarjit, voice of Asia

MALAYSIAN National Cycling Federation (MNCF) vice president Datuk Amarjit Singh Gill was elected as an executive board member of the International Cycling Union (UCI) on Thursday.

Amarjit won 31 votes from the 43 delegates at the 186th UCI Congress in Bergen, Norway. He will represent the Asian continent for the 2017-2021 term.

The Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC) treasurer said he was honoured to be elected.

“I am grateful to the voting delegates, coming from five continents for giving me the trust and confidence to sit in UCI,” said Amarjit, in a statement.

“With this, I am now the second Malaysian and Asian to sit after my father, Tan Sri Darshan Singh served in 1996-2005.

“My gratitude to the newly elected UCI President David Lappartient, who I have had a good relationship, for his support.”

“This has now put Malaysia on the centre stage at the world level and I will maximise my mandate to serve cycling in Asia as well as the world.

“At the moment, Asia is faced with numerous issues and it is in this aspect that I will act as a spokesperson for all national associations in Asia. I will also highlight issues regarding the abuse of performance enhancing drugs around the world.”

The UCI congress saw Frenchman Lappartient defeating incumbent Brian Cooksoon of England 37-8.