The UCI presents a robust action plan to combat technological fraud
The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) today unveiled the detection methods it will use to counter technological fraud during the 2018 season and also presented innovative technologies currently in development.
Fight against technological fraud – X-ray unit / ©UCI
The fight against technological fraud was a central theme of David Lappartient’s commitment to cycling’s National Federations at the UCI Congress on 21 September 2017; today’s announcement comes exactly six months after the Frenchman was elected President.
Also in attendance at the press conference, alongside the UCI President, were Bob Stapleton – a UCI Management Committee Member and President of the UCI Equipment and Fight against Technological Fraud Commission; Jean-Christophe Péraud – UCI Manager of Equipment and the Fight against Technological Fraud; and Gabriele Fioni – Deputy Director of Technological Research at the CEA (French Atomic and Alternative Energies Commission).
For the 2018 season, the UCI will implement a range of measures that encompasses all the detection methods currently available. In addition to the magnetic scanning tablets and thermal imaging cameras already in use, the UCI has procured a mobile x-ray unit specially designed for the fight against technological fraud.
The x-ray equipment is completely safe for its operators and the public, and will be transported from race to race throughout the course of the season. Capable of producing an x-ray image of a complete bike in just five minutes, this technology will be used to validate the leading riders’ performances and remove any suspicion regarding race results.
Developed with the support of VJ Technologies – a renowned supplier of x-ray technology solutions for the automotive, aerospace, energy, nuclear and arms industries – the method has been granted the necessary authorisations for use in the countries hosting cycling’s flagship events.
Thanks to these three complementary methods, the UCI can now approach this season with the most robust action plan ever put in place to combat technological fraud, with tests scheduled for 150 days of racing across all five continents. All disciplines and age categories will be covered.
With the aim of further strengthening these measures and eliminating any lingering doubts, the UCI has also announced a partnership with CEA Tech.
CEA was described as the most innovative public research institution in Europe by Reuters/Clarivate in 2017. CEA Tech is the organisation’s research unit and develops advanced technology in order to improve corporate competitiveness through innovation, performance and the differentiation of products and services, as well as opening up new business markets.
The partnership between the UCI and CEA Tech aims to capitalise on the latter’s technological expertise in order to identify the optimum approach to designing devices to detect the magnetic fields associated with hidden motors. The objective is to offer real-time, continuous monitoring for the entire duration of a race.
To reinforce its resources in the fight against technological fraud, the UCI is also working on a portable detection device, based on magnetic detection technology, which would be accessible to National Federations. The UCI eventually aims to develop a way of tracking equipment (frames and wheels) based on radio-frequency identification (RFID).
MORE ON: http://www.uci.ch/pressreleases/the-uci-presents-robust-action-plan-combat-technological-fraud/
AUTHOR: UCI Press Releases
SOURCE: uci.ch
PUBLISHED: March 21, 2018