McQuaid had claimed that UCI would not be able to pass responsbility for its drugs testing programme to another organisation, as Cookson proposes in his manifesto which he launched in Paris on Monday (June 24), because it would be against WADA rules.

WADA have now told insidethegames that McQuaid is wrong.

"Please be informed that under the World Anti-Doping Code there are no rules that prevent an international federation to outsource their testing and results management programme to an independent body," a spokeswoman said.

"For instance, SportAccord conducts testing and results management for some international federations."

McQuaid, the controversial Irishman seeking a third term as President of the UCI, had claimed yesterday that his challenger's plans were "half baked, fundamentally flawed and financially impractical".

It was the second occasion that McQuaid had launched a bitter attack on Cookson, the President of British Cycling, since he announced earlier this month that he would stand against him.

A letter circulated to the UCI's member associations by McQuaid shortly after Cookson said he would put himself forward earlier this month led to calls from Igor Makarov, President of the Russian Cycling Federation, for him to be sanctioned by the UCI Ethics Committee.


"The response from Pat McQuaid to my manifesto has once again demonstrated exactly why restoring credibility to the UCI and cycling in general was the number one recommendation of the recent Deloitte consultation with the sport's stakeholders," said Cookson.

"His bullying and haranguing style seems designed to antagonise everyone who does not share his approach to the governance of world cycling.