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Ministry To Engage UCI Expertise In Labu Velodrome Project

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 24 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Youth and Sports will use the expert services of a consultant from the International Cycling Union (UCI) when building a velodrome at the Vision Valley in Labu, Negeri Sembilan.

Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek said UCI which has its headquarters in Switzerland, had proposed that the ministry engaged a consultant from UCI to avoid the issue of specification and rectification.

"We feel the end user is still UCI. If a project is carried out and the project did not meet UCI's specification and requirements, that project will become a white elephant," he told reporters here Tuesday after meeting UCI president Pat Macquaid at his office on the proposal to build the velodrome.

He cited a velodrome in Kazakhstan which was a mega project, complete with various facilities and a hotel but the velodrome was not ratified by UCI because it did not meet the specifications set by UCI.

The Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) had earlier discussed with the UCI to engage the services of a consultant firm from Germany to undertake the consultant services of the project.

Meanwhile, Macquaid said the world body was willing to bring international events, including the world championships and Asian Championships to Malaysia, once the velodrome was completed.

He said what Malaysia needed was a velodrome built according to UCI specifications and sanctioned by UCI before it can organise world class events.

-- BERNAMA

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