Speaking here at the second day of the Tackling Doping in Sport conference, United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) chief executive Travis Tygart said "time was of the essence".

Earlier this month, an audit commissioned by newly elected UCI President Brian Cookson made a series of recommendations on areas it felt improvements or changes were needed, with nine considered "urgent".

Cookson said the governing body would make the "necessary changes to policies, structures and procedures to further improve the programme", following the audit by the Institute of National Anti-Doping Organisations.

"We've been pounding this issue [of reforms] in the press, at the EU, in front of the Senate, in front of the German Parliament," said USADA's Tygart.

"It's now time to fulfil the promise that the UCI leadership made to take decisive and transparent action.

"In my opinion, another day can't go by until it has put this into place in a proper fashion and this process starts."

He used the example of US baseball where it took two years to set up doping reforms, and said: "I don't think it needs to take as long."

Brian Cookson has created a three-member Cycling Independent Reform Commission to look into allegations of corruption within the UCI ©Getty Images


Cookson, who took over the reins from predecessor Pat McQuaid in September, launched the Cycling Independent Reform Commission (CIRC) following his election.

It is investigating historic doping in the sport and allegations the UCI was complicit in corruption in the wake of the Lance Armstrong cheating revelations.

Cookson has also set the wheels in motion for reforms of the UCI's anti-doping programme.

Speaking of the investigation by the CIRC into historic doping, Tygart said he did not think Armstrong's unwillingness to give evidence would harm it.

"The Armstrong information has come out in part during the ongoing investigation [from others]," he said.

"I'm interested in the people behind the man: doctors, team owners, lawyers.

"This was a sophisticated scheme to defraud.

"The deceit was not limited to Armstrong."

Lance Armstrong has so far declined to give evidence to the Independent Reform Commission ©Getty Images



Tygart also said everyone "deserves a second chance", including Armstrong - though it was a different story when it came to being allowed to compete once again.

He said a list of 37 unredacted names in the possession of USADA - and linked to alleged doping - was part of an "ongoing investigation around the world", and it was in contact with the CIRC about passing the names to it.

Firing a warning shot to other sports thinking cycling's problems are unique, Tygart said: "Let's not be naive to think it can't rise up in another sport out there."

He was critical of the UCI's handling of doping allegations under what he called the "old regime".

UCI director general Martin Gibbs, speaking to around 200 delegates at the Conference today, said: "We as a sport have had so many false starts.

"We are acutely aware that we really have to make it work.

"The key to that is the independent commission.

"This is a sport that needs to confront its past."