The Cycling Independent Reform Commission (CIRC) was created last month by UCI President Brian Cookson and is being led by high ranking Swiss politician Dick Marty who claims the purpose of the investigation "is not to punish doping offenders but to learn from the past".

Following his election as UCI President at the governing body's Congress in Florence last September, Briton Cookson declared his intention to set up an independent body to investigate the doping scandals that have rocked the sport over the last two decades, highlighted by the disgraced Lance Armstrong who admitted to years of systematic doping in January last year and was stripped of his record seven Tour de France titles.

Armstrong is among a number of riders who are claiming that the UCI was complicit in the doping culture, including former UCI Presidents Hein Verbruggen and Pat McQuaid, who have both denied the claims.

American Armstrong has said that he will testify with "100 per cent transparency" at any future inquiry.

Former UCI President Hein Verbruggen has been accused by the disgraced Lance Armstrong of covering up doping in cycling ©Getty Images



The CIRC has the power to reduce anti-doping sanctions against witnesses or "Licence Holders" who give evidence including "riders, officials, agents, organisers or team staff".

"The primary purpose of our investigation is not to punish doping offenders but to learn from the past so we can help ensure a better future for cycling," said CIRC chairman Marty, who is joined on the three-man body by German anti-doping specialist Ulrich Haas and former United Nations (UN) war crimes investigator Peter Nicholson from Australia.

"We will treat all witnesses fairly and so I urge anyone in the cycling community with information that can help our investigation to come forward.

"We have much work to do over the coming year and I hope, with the cooperation of the cycling family, the sport has a unique opportunity to learn lessons and regain trust."

In a statement outlining its terms of reference, the CIRC stressed its independence from the UCI and that the investigation will be carried out "on a completely independent basis".

The main focus of the investigation will be to "determine the processes and practices in professional road cycling that allowed the culture of doping to perpetuate over the period from a sustained period of time, in particular to discover the main providers and facilitators of doping in cycling in the period 1998-2013" and the CIRC says it will produce a comprehensive report including "targeted recommendations to the whole cycling family".

UCI President Cookson wants cycling's credibility restored after the exposure of seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong as a drugs cheat ©Getty Images



Former British Cycling chief Cookson, who promised to set up the independent investigatory body as part of his UCI Presidential campaign manifesto, claims the CIRC will restore trust and credibility back into cycling and reiterated its independence.

"Today marks an important step in understanding the past and restoring the credibility of our sport," said Cookson.

"The Cycling Independent Reform Commission will not only help us learn from the past, but will also play an important role in shaping our future processes and practices.

"I committed to this process before I was elected in September 2013 and I'm pleased to see the CIRC fully operational only a few months later.

"It is essential that the Commission is left to get on with its investigation on a completely independent basis and I have ensured that all the structures are in place to allow this to happen."

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