Time to practice your kickflips and nollies, kidz! The BBC reports today that the UCI - yes, that UCI - is lobbying to include skateboarding in the 2016 summer Olympics. The move represents an effort to extend the cycling union's influence within the Olympic movement. Yes, this is truly one of those stranger than fiction moments. Perhaps Patty is hoping that the skaterz are less trouble than those pesky bike racers and their protests? Besides, bikes and skateboard, they're all the same, right?
"They're all related to wheels, they're all related to bikes as such, and from that point of view cycling is the sport that can bring those disciplines in," explained McQuaid.
Yes, they both have wheels. This is very true. The UCI helped bring BMX into the Olympics in Beijing, and views skating as an extension of that effort. Because BMX bikes and skateboards, they're totally the same! Apparently, the UCI prez hopes to latch on to the movement to "modernise" the Olympic movement.
For the skateboard crowd, the UCI might be the best hope to get into the Olympics. Hey! If the snowboarders can do it! More importantly, think of all that lovely corporate cash from Red Bull and Element and Nike 6.0 flowing into the UCI's coffers. Nom nom nom, corporate cash. For the teams and race organizers challenging the UCI from within cycling, the extension of the organization's power within the Olympic movement may complicate their efforts to wrest control of their sport from the clique in Aigle.