Changes Olympic Track Program - Belgian Federation Notes
Addendum: Notes and proposals concerning the reform of Track Disciplines at the Olympic Games

Koninklijke Belgische Wielrijdersbond

Note concerning the reform of track disciplines at the Olympic Games
With reference to the communication that the track disciplines at the OG will be adapt, please find herewith some remarks.

In 2009 two meetings have been held, a first one during the WC in Poland and a second during the Woels Cup  in Moscow. During these 2 meetings there was no mention of whatsoever that in 2012 an equality of medals should come.

In Moscow a project was presented about the new qualification system. One had to take into account that the “qualification systems must allow the participation of the best athletes through a fair and transparent process within the framework of the Olympic Charter”.

At the same time the radio men/women should be adapted, but it has never been said that there should be also an equality of medals. It is surprising that apparently only track cycling should adapt, because the ratio in the other cycling disciplines are not 50/50:
    road     145 men - 67 women
    time trial     40 men - 25 women
    MTB     50 men - 30 women
    BMX     32 men - 16 women
    track     153 men - 35 women

On the other hand, there are other Olympic sports where the medal distribution is not 50/50 (ex: kayak, gymnastic, shooting, wrestling, …). However, the assuming regulations give also a number of problems which are explained further.

1. Restriction globalisation
If we’d apply the new qualification based on the WC in Poland, we’d get the following table of
participating countries:

MEN
TP + omnium =18 nations (AUS+COL+JPN+MAS+NZL+USA+Europe) = 6 out of Europe and 12 in Europe
IP+TP +PR+MAD= 21 nations (Europe+AUS+COL+HKG+JPN+NZL+USA) = 6 out of Europe + 15 in
Europe

WOMEN
TP+omnium=18 nations (=48 riders) (AUS+CAN+CHN+COL+CUB+NZL+USA+Europe= 7 out of
europe+11 europe)
IP+PR=16 nations (=21 riders) (AUS+CAN+CHN+COL+CUB+HKG+NZL + Europe= 7 out of Europe + 9
Europe)

MEN+WOMEN
New system = 23 AUS+CAN+CHN+COL+CUB+JPN+MAS+NZL+USA (9) + 14 Europe
Existing system = 24 AUS+CAN+CHN+COL+CUB+HKG+JPN+NZL+USA (9) + 15 Europe

So this measure reduces the number of countries that will participate instead of increasing it, and so this runs counter to the foreseen goal to get more countries at the start.

2. Qualification omnium
How can one qualify for the omnium ? If this goes through the existing system, which is the best individual ranking in the following disciplines

• 1 km
• Points race
• Scratch
•  4 km IP

this means that you need to have riders in 4 disciplines to delegate 1 rider. For a small federation this is an impossible task (not enough top riders in all these disciplines). Also the level of the costs will be too big to get 1 rider to the Games, which is again a disadvantage for the little federations.

3. Little cycling nations & individual talents.
This measure is a disadvantage for the smaller nations who have no money to develop teams, but who could have individual talents (look at IRL, ARG, HKG, …).

In this way, individual talents could never get the chance to participate at the Games. The system must remain that individual talents, also those from smaller nations, could participate at the Games. If this does not happen the number of nations will still decrease and only the greater nations will be able to participate, which will drop back the globalization and in the long term the OG-conditions will not able to be realized.

4.Ratio type of riders compared to the composition of the calendar
In current track cycling we distinguish 3 type of riders: sprint, pursuit and endurance (points race, madison).
The ratio of races on the calendar for this type of riders compared to the number of presumed participants in 2012, is irrelevant.
By dropping the points race and the Madison more than 80% from the disciplines which are a part of the international calendar will disappear. The consequence will be that these races will disappear from the international calendar and that, on term, track cycling itself will disappear as an Olympic Games discipline.

These are common disciplines on most tracks all over the world (Europe, Australia, South-America, USA etc.) and which offer chances not only to riders with great physical potential but also to riders with tactic and technical skills. The numbers of riders and nations which can participate at the great official championships with realistic expectations (chances for a medal) are much larger than in disciplines as for example TT-disciplines (Pursuit, 1.000 Meter etc.). This should be a very good argument and in agreement with the Olympic ideas.

In addition to that, the sprint disciplines will insufficiently reinforce the calendar to continue to
comply with the Olympic conditions.

5. Problem from exceeding the assumed quota
2008:
Sprint     6+2+2+1+1+30+5+9 =56 (3 med)
Pursuit     10+2+1+40+5 = 58 (2 med)
Endurance     4+2+26+6 = 39 (2 med)
        Total 153 men
Sprint     3+9=12 (1 med)
Pursuit     3+9=12 (1 med)
Endurance     3+8=11 (1 med)
        Total 35 women
    TOTAL 188

New assumed distribution:
Sprint     56 (3 m)
Team pursuit     50 (1 m)
Omnium     18 (1 m)
        Total 124 men

Sprint     12 + 24 (TSP) = 36 (3m)
Team pursuit     30 (10 x 3) (1m)
Omnium     18 (1m)
Total     84 women
        TOTAL 208

So we have here an exceeding of the total number of riders which should be only 188.

6. Quality Women’s Team Sprint races
When we compare the times of the women’s team sprint (TS) with the individual times realized over the same distance of 500m, we see that the individual times are faster (World Cup Poland: Krupeckaite 33.296 compared to Australia 33.452). In addition to that RUS who realized the 8th time in TS would only be 9th individually. RUS would get an Olympic diploma in a time where individually one should never get a diploma.

How can we explain this to the World of sports?

7. Unclear omnium discipline
If we argue that both the points race and the madison are not suitable for broadcasting, how can an omnium be ? How could spectators follow this, they surely wouldn’t understand what’s happening. In addition to that : the fight in the current omnium competition after 3 disciplines is reduced to a handful of competitors. Because of that, we’ll get a points race of which the spectator wouldn’t understand anything and one can be sure that “mutual” services will be delivered.

An omnium on the track can’t be compared to a decathlon in athletics, where the final result is made up on a points scale based on times or distances, while in an omnium it’s made up on a points system based on obtained places.

8. The Omnium (WC) in its current form must change
The omnium in its current form is a discipline set up for Km or Pursuit (see analysis participants WC Poland). However if the omnium has to remain, this should be in another formula (ex. scratch , points race and IP or elimination, spread out over 3 days and run over the full distance). Also it has to be included in the World Cup and the qualification must go through the WCups in order to qualify individually.

9. History Olympic Games - disciplines
Sprint
Sprint   1896-2008 = 24         WC 1893
Team Sprint       2000-2008 = 3         WC 1995
Keirin         2000-2008 = 3         WC 1980
1km         1896/1928-2004 = 19         WC 1966

Pursuit
IA         1964-2008 = 12         WC 1946
Team     1908/1920-2008=22     WC 1962

Endurance
PR     1984-2008=7         WC 1977
Madison     2000-2008=3         WC 1995
The Km has been removed for the benefit of BMX in 2008.

10. Proposition

As a basis we look at the history of the Games and the proposal is based on the fact that individual talents could still qualify individually, which don’t reduce the number of participating countries. This way, smaller countries can still qualify also.

Phase-1 (2012)
Preservation of the disciplines of 2008 because of the fact that the IOC is not a demanding party to
implement in 2012.

It’s also sportsmanlike irresponsible to set up a laughing stock at riders who work for the Games 6 years into the future. One couldn’t answer for that to the sportsmen, federations and authorities who have to invest in athletes as well as in accommodations.

There could be an adjustment from the men/women ratio (from 153/35 to 130/58), by a reduction of the numbers in the Team Sprint (10 countries with 3 participants) and in the team pursuit (10 countries with 4 participants instead of 5)  For this last discipline a 5th rider could be accredit outside the village and who could still participate in the training sessions (as a sparring partner in judo). This rider could still enter the competition before it begins, once the competition has started one had to work further with the same 4 riders. This would also avoid some frustration and be a more honest system because the riders who are exchanged now don’t get any medal. If during the competition one rider falls out, the race must go through with 3.

Phase-2 (2016)
Raising the medal ratio to 6/4 or 5/5 according the above mentioned table.

Another possibility is also an extension to 12 medals on the track. This 2 extra medals could come from the individual road time trial and this for the following reasons:

• Time trial is a part of road cycling which the Olympic Games doesn’t need to survive.
• The riders in time trial who participate also all participate  in the road race, which in fact means that these riders can still participate at the Games.
• Because of the selection system (time trial riders have to come out of the road or track) this is a break on the quality of participation at the time trial, which is in contradiction with the fact the “the best athletes” should participate. Countries have to make choices: put in a time trial rider in the road team of a letting a road rider participate at the time trial).
• Road cycling doesn’t need the Olympic Games to survive as a sport. On the contrary, track cycling desperately needs it. Track cycling only survives thanks to state support and on economic level it’s not self supporting. If one should abolish these disciplines, this means that the authorities will not invest any money anymore in these non Olympic disciplines, with all the imaginable consequences

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