The bodies governing track and road in NSW (Cycling NSW), Western Australia (WestCycle) and Tasmania (Cycling Tasmania) voted no today at Cycling Australia's Extraordinary General Meeting.
"The AusCycling resolutions were special resolutions," the Cycling Australia board said via a press statement. "Requiring 75 per cent of members to vote in favour for approval. Accordingly, the resolutions were not approved.
"The (board) is disappointed by this outcome and will continue to investigate ways to improve the efficiency of Australian cycling administration."
But with Mountain Bike Australia and BMX Australia already endorsing AusCycling, the minimum requirement of support from two national sporting organisations has been met and the initiative will likely go ahead without Cycling Australia's official endorsement.
Cycling Central understands there may not be any legal barriers to individual road/track clubs and state bodies mutinying to a newly established AusCycling.
reports the presidents from the five states/territories who supported the proposed model sent a letter yesterday to acting Sport Australia CEO Robert Dalton stating they still wanted to jump ship.
"In our view, those that voted ‘yes’ represent a very large majority and not only deeply care about the sport but embrace the opportunity to be equals with MTBA and BMXA,” CyclingTips quoted the presidents.
“To that end we, on behalf of our organisations, all strongly support the formation of AusCycling and upon its inception, will explore all possible avenues to take up membership, recognising that if this occurs it may require us to withdraw our membership of the relevant State and National Sporting Organisation.”
Mountain Bike Australia and BMX Australia have notified Sport Australia they are now moving to form AusCycling and seek the federal government authority’s originally pledged support and financial assistance to do so.
What comes next is anyone's guess.
