Cycling Australia Chief Quits after Doping Revelation

October 19, 2012

Cycling Australia Vice President Stephen Hodge has resigned with immediate effect after admitting doping during his racing career.

The news comes at the end of a week in which the governing body sacked men’s elite road coordinator Matt White after he confessed to doping while riding at US Postal.

A hardworking domestique, Hodge rode and finished the Tour de France six times during a career spanning a decade or so from the mid-1980s, riding for teams including KAS-Mavic, ONCE and Festina alongside the likes of Sean Kelly, Laurent Jalabert and Richard Virenque.

He joined the board of Cycling Australia in 1999, and a detailed ‘Where Are They Now?’ feature on the website Cycling Tips last year described him as “probably the best cycling advocate Australia has.”

In a statement Cycling Australia President Klaus Mueller said: “In light of the current circumstances Stephen has made it clear he doesn’t want a mistake he made two decades ago to affect the work of Cycling Australia to take the sport forward.

“I would like to personally thank Stephen for his immense contribution to the sport in a volunteer capacity,” he continued.

“When his professional cycling career ended he became a tireless worker for the sport and for almost 15 years has freely given up his time as an advocate for the rights of athletes and to promote and develop the sport in Australia.”

“At all times while Stephen was on the Board with me he acted with high principle and great integrity and has been a staunch opponent of doping.

“I commend him for his decision to speak out,” Mueller concluded.

This follows the recent revelations of doping from Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong.