UCI president Pat McQuaid was detained for six hours by South Korean authorities for illegally videotaping private body parts of the South Korean president.
McQuaid just moments before South Korean police detained him for illegal video recording
The circumstances that involved the South Korean police authorities centered around a very short bike ride, as documented by the UCI on their website. McQuaid, outfitted in what can best be described as “California bike commuter chic,” sported running shoes and tube socks while riding on a borrowed bicycle with clipless pedals. But what sparked controversy was his handlebar-mounted camera that took a 10-minute video of the South Korean president’s bottom.
“We didn’t realize videotaping the South Korean president’s backside is an illegal activity in South Korea. We are more familiar with Chinese protocol, which does not frown upon arse photography,” commented UCI spokesperson Enrico Carpani.
Overzealous police officers on the river Han spotted McQuaid performing the illegal activity, and swooped in to arrest the UCI president. Korean VIPs on the cycling excursion were distracted with a bike-handling performance by Team Jelly Belly p/b Kenda rider Jeremy Powers – who was demonstrating the “Ted King bunny hop” to the group – and failed to realize the Irish cycling icon had been scooped up by Korean authorities.
It took several hours before the group recognized the absence of McQuaid. After the luncheon host introduced McQuaid for his speech about the globalization of cycling and its benefits to corporate Korea, and the UCI president failed to appear on the dais, the other UCI representatives scrambled to determine his location. After checks in several rooms, bathrooms, and conference center bars, the authorities were contacted.
“I’m very dismayed over how the situation was handled. After our commitment to the South Korean government, I would have expected finer treatment, and I would expect I’d have been recognized by the police officers as a VIP,” commented an embarassed McQuaid, still wearing his makeshift cycling attire after half a day in a Korean jail cell.
No word yet on whether the equipment has been returned to the UCI, or if the video was in fact deleted by authorities during its confiscation. However, representatives from the pro peloton were rather surprised McQuaid was willing to use the technology he has banned from usage in UCI-sanctioned events.
“The only thing legal in the entire ride by McQuaid was his helmet. No wonder he had such a sketchy run as a professional cyclist,” commented Omega Pharma – Quick-Step DS Brian Holm.
McQuaid spent an additional day in Asia for private meetings, before returning to Switzerland for typical UCI business.
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